Tranquil Passion
by TwilightRein
Summary: How long is enough to forget about a intense 3-year long relationship? To move on from an overbearing relationship? To find some solace in getting away when deep down, the crazy impulse to go back is just as overbearing. SaiNaru, Past!SasuNaru
1. Chapter 1

**Hello~!**

**It's been awhile, hasn't it? First new story of the year and it's Naruto~ I've recently gotten back into Naruto and Bleach and when I first saw Sai I knew I had to write about him. The fangirl me loves him dearly. So I'm writing this for the SaiNaru love. 'Cause after I caught up to the anime and manga...or rather during the anime viewing, I read TONS of fanfics. A TON of Naruto fics. I hope you guys enjoy this. So let me go ahead and put generic warnings.**

**Obvious, the plot bunny is mine. The characters all belong to Kishimoto.**

**This fic here will contain Boy Love. It's a yaoi fic with slashy-ness in the future. And Angst. 'Cause I love~ the angst. And it's AU. Almost forgot to add that in here.**

**So, please enjoy and review~**

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><p>"We will begin the test at exactly four o' clock." The professor stated as he stood by the door. It was currently 3:55pm and Sakura looked out the door with a worried expression. Two chairs to her left sat Sai, and while he didn't look concerned, he rarely displayed anything that wasn't his neutral expression, she could tell he was. He kept looking at the door as well, wondering where Naruto was. The trio knew the professor well. Every student at Konohana University was familiar with Ibiki. As soon as the clock hits four, he would close and lock the door and any unfortunate student who came late were going to fail the exam. He gave no exception hence why Professor Ibiki was greatly considered one of the toughest professors in the University. Ibiki stared at the clock, there was one minute left.<p>

Sakura and Sai shared a glance. Something must've happened to Naruto. That was the only reason any of them could think of. Naruto knew how important this exam was. The trio had studied together for the past two weeks in preparation. Something _must've_ happened. Ibiki grabbed the doorknob and he started to close the door.

"You will have two and a half hours to finish the test. Write your answers clearly and—"

"WAIT!" Before the door could click close, Naruto burst into the room, entirely out of breath. The entire class watched as he bent over, bracing his hands against his knees to catch his breath. Ibiki glanced at the clock. The kid actually made it on time. Naruto straightened up, now with some composure.

"Hurry and take your seat." Ibiki said as he walked towards his desk. Naruto nodded and bounded up the row of chairs. His seat was the chair at the third row next to the aisle. Sakura, two seats over, glanced at him and grinned with a thumb up. Naruto beamed back at her and sat down. Seeing Sakura smile definitely made it almost worth being locked out. He sat down, taking out his pen as the proctors passed out the papers. He glanced at Sakura again and this time her brow was furrowed. She point to her neck. Was she curious about his neck? There was nothing wrong with his neck. He made sure to wear a scarf to hide-

His hand wasn't touching a scarf. Naruto quickly broke his gaze with Sakura. She could see the bruises. He'd thought he had grabbed the scarf on the way out. Then again, he left his apartment in a mad rush to get to class on time. Naruto sighed as a proctor handed him the exam papers to pass down the row. He grabbed one for himself and passed the rest down without making eye contact with Sakura. She could see them, the strangled bruises left by _him_. Naruto shook his head and cleared his mind. He had no time to waste his precious thoughts on _him_.

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><p>"Alright, pens down." Ibiki shouted, startling several students who were still writing. Naruto sighed in relief, dropping his head down on the table. The exam nearly sucked his entire soul out and he was sure he wouldn't even be conscious if it weren't for those study sessions with Sakura and Sai. He was grateful towards that and was probably the reason why he was still sane. At least the damned thing was done and over. The proctors collected each exam individually. As soon as the papers were collected and when Ibiki gave the word to leave, the room was quickly abuzz with conversation. Naruto kept his head down; even talking was an effort for his brain at the moment.<p>

"How'd you think you did?" Sakura asked, walking over to Naruto. The blond quickly lifted his head up. He was never too tired to speak to Sakura.

"I probably aced it!" Naruto said, grinning.

"If you did, it was only because of me." Sai said, walking around Sakura. Naruto's face quickly turned sour as he glared at his pale-skinned classmate.

"What was that?" He yelled. "If anything, Sakura helped me more than you did."

"And who was the one that kept asking me to explain when Sakura _did_ try to explain a concept to you." Sai replied, walking down the aisle. That quickly shut Naruto up. Sakura chuckled and followed Sai. Naruto grumbled and followed behind Sakura, stuffing his hands in his pocket and mutter something or another about Sai being a know-it-all-asshole. As they left the room, Naruto walked on ahead, passing Sakura, and she noticed how Naruto had his shoulders hunched. She quickly remembered the strangulation marks and started to speak up when Kiba's loud voice echoed around the corner.

"Oi, Naruto! You down for some drinking?" He asked, waving madly to the blond.

"Hell yeah!" Naruto yelled as he ran towards him. Sakura's question died on her lips as she watched him leave.

"Hey, Sai, you're invited to!" Kiba shouted.

"Hey, don't go inviting that jerk." Naruto said, sending another glare towards his friend.

"What? Still mad he can hold his liquor better than you can?" Kiba taunted. Naruto took that as a challenge.

"Oi! Sai! Meet us at eight o' clock at the usual bar. It'll be me, you, and Kiba! Don't you dare skip out!" Kiba laughed as the pair walked off. Sakura sighed and shook her head but she chuckled. Sai glanced over at Sakura until she turned towards him.

"You saw, didn't you." Sai said, staring down the hallway. The soft smile disappeared on Sakura's features. Of course she saw. They were as clear as day. She could make out the grooves of nail marks of whoever had strangled Naruto. And she knew who it was.

"He's pretty sly for being a ditz." She said, trying to lighten the heavy mood that settled between them.

"Do you think he is okay?" Sai asked.

"I really hope so." Sakura said after awhile. It's only been six month since the break up but it was a three-year long relationship. Six months wasn't enough. Not with the type of relationship they had and _he_ didn't take too well to the break up.

"Sai, please keep watch over him." Sakura asked. She always asked him of that. Sai recently joined their group a year ago and he already felt like a dear childhood friend despite his blunt ways. He had been there through that horrible last six months of Naruto's relationship. While Naruto acted defensive around Sai, Sakura knew the blond regarded Sai as a dear friend. Once, there was a time when Sakura was sure she could be the one that Naruto could rely on but that wasn't meant to be. She knew it and so did Naruto. Sakura clenched her books to her chest. Meanwhile, Sai was watching Sakura, glimpsing the various emotions flittering through her sea-green eyes.

"I'll make sure he makes it home tonight." Sai said. "I'm sure he will have forgotten about the challenge with Kiba around." That earned a soft chuckle from Sakura.

"He's never going to learn, no matter how many times he gets completely hammered." Sakura said. "Thank you, Sai." Sakura smiled then glanced at her watch. "Oh, I start my shift soon at the hospital. I'll talk to you later." She said as she started to jog away. Sai stood there, watching her leave until she disappeared around the corner.

"I'd better go with Naruto."

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><p>"I…I can so go…for like…another THREE…hours?" Naruto yelled to the night sky, a silly grin plastered on his face. It was a little after two at night and they had left the bar. As Sakura perfectly guessed, Naruto ended up completely drunk. So drunk he couldn't walk straight without the help of Sai. He had his arm around Naruto's waist to help him stay upright. The blond drunkenly chuckled as he leaned heavily against Sai. He glanced at the sky, squinting at the bright full moon.<p>

"Why's sun so bright…?" Naruto asked, looking away.

"That's the moon, Naruto." Sai said with a tone used on small children who asked obvious questions to obvious answers.

"So…" Naruto began. He yawned and tried to walk on his own but found that he couldn't step away from Sai. His brow furrowed in thought before he dismissed the idea. "They both 'round." Naruto yawned and his feet dragged.

"Sai…Sai…Sai?"

"I'm right beside you Naruto." Sai said. Naruto glanced up at him. He looked away then glanced back. He stopped walking, halting Sai as well. They stopped underneath a flickering lamppost, casting the pair into poor lighting. Naruto was being unusually quiet and he wasn't meeting Sai's gaze. Sai began to wonder if this was a new part of Naruto's drunkenness. Usually the blond was the talkative loud drunk. "Naruto?"

After what seemed like forever, Naruto looked up at him. He pristine blue eyes were complete unguarded. Naruto clutched Sai's shirt as he leaned against his pale classmate.

"…_him._"

"What?"

"You look like him but not really." Naruto said. "…similar but not really."

"Are you talking about Sas-"

"NO!" Naruto shouted as he pushed Sai away. "Don't say his name. I can't...I don't even…" Naruto's hand gingerly touched his neck. "..he…_him_…" Naruto's eyelids began to droop. He swayed and his eyes closed after a few second of a losing battle to keep them open. Sai rushed forward to catch the blond from hitting the ground. Naruto was fast asleep, the alcohol finally catching up to him. Sai sighed and shook his head.

"You are more trouble than you seem." Sai said. To which Naruto replied with a snort. He was going to have to carry the blond home now. He hoisted Naruto into his arms, carrying him like a bridal. For a twenty year old male, Naruto didn't weight much. The blond snored loudly, his head turning towards Sai's chest. Sai knew Naruto would vehemently object to being carried, especially being carried bridal-style but Sai thought he was rather cute. He looked relaxed. After many nights of taking a drunken Naruto home, Sai knew the way to the blonds' apartment. A light night breeze passed by and Naruto shivered. His arms found their way around Sai's neck, huddling closer. Walking out of the park, Sai saw Iruka and Kakashi walking towards them.

"Oh, thank goodness I found you." Iruka said, rushing ahead of Kakashi. He stopped in front of Sai and glanced down at Naruto.

"Iruka? What're you doing out late this night?"

"Looking for this one," Iruka said. "I'll take him from you now." Sai nodded and passed along Naruto to his guardian. The older man gently smiled and he relaxed when he had Naruto in his arms.

"Iruka, what is going on?" Iruka's smile faded. It wasn't in his place to say. Kakashi stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Things are a bit complicated at the moment, Sai," Kakashi said, speaking for Iruka. "But things should turn out okay."

"Does it have to do with that guy, with Sasuke?" A pained expression crossed Iruka's face.

"I'm sorry Sai but it's not in my place to say." He said. Sai glanced at Naruto's sleeping face then to Iruka.

"So it was Sasuke who strangled him?" Sai asked.

"Strangled?" Iruka turned towards Kakashi and handed Naruto over. In Kakashi's arms, Iruka tilted Naruto's head to the side and he could just barely see the purple finger-like bruises around the blonds' neck underneath the moonlight. Iruka whispered to Kakashi and the white-haired man started to walk away with Naruto. Iruka turned to Sai and the younger man could clearly see sadness in those dark eyes.

"Thanks for telling me about the bruises, Sai. And it is unfair to keep you in the dark but as much as I hate to say it, this is something between Sasuke and Naruto." He looked over his shoulder, anxious to be by Naruto's side. Sai wasn't dense. He knew when the conversation was over.

"I understand. Have a good night, Iruka." Sai said. Iruka nodded and he jogged after Kakashi. Sai stood there in the middle of the path for a moment. He could see Iruka's worried expression as he fussed over a sleeping Naruto. Iruka was right. It didn't concern him at all. He knew it was between Sasuke and Naruto. But he wanted to know what _exactly_ that relationship was. He did have some idea from what he seen during their last six months but it was merely speculation. Sai turned around and began walking the way to his apartment. Sai was still a stranger. There wasn't much he could do.

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><p>"…nnng…" Naruto's head was pounding. It wouldn't stop, no matter how hard he pressed his head against the cool pillow. He turned around in his bed, slowly becoming conscious and the pounding kept increasing. He cracked open his eyes but quickly shut them against the harsh sunlight. "…my head is killing me…" He uttered, his throat parched.<p>

"It's what you get for drinking." A cool voice said. Naruto heard the sounds of blinds shuttering close and he attempted to open his eyes again. The room was gratefully dark now that the sunlight was blocked. He slowly propped himself on his hands, leaning back against the headboard for support. Kakashi was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. The blond groaned as another pulsating wave hit him. He leaned his head back, tilting his head up.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Twelve in the afternoon," Kakashi replied. "Iruka heard he was back in town so he was worried. We finally found you, drunk and unconscious." Naruto groaned again. He didn't remember that. He remembered Kiba and his damned taunts. Somewhere after ten cans, things began to get fuzzy. He heard footsteps and looked to see Iruka walking past Kakashi.

"Good, you're awake." The scarred man said with a relieved smile. Naruto chuckled then winced as yet another painful pulse racked his brain. Iruka sat down on the bed and handed Naruto hangover pills. He took them and popped them into his mouth, chasing it down with the glass of water Iruka had.

"Where did you meet him?" Iruka asked, taking back the empty glass. Naruto avoided Iruka's glance. He knew Iruka wouldn't like the answer. Hell, he himself didn't like it. Naruto took a deep breath before he answered.

"…just outside the town." He could hear the collective sighs from Iruka and Kakashi. He knew what the next question was.

"Why?"

And Naruto couldn't answer. He didn't know why. He knew he shouldn't have and rational told him it was a bad idea but he couldn't stop himself from going to see him. And what did that bring him? He raised his to his neck and was surprised to feel gauze. He looked up at Iruka.

"The marks are very much visible," Iruka said. "Sai mentioned it to me."

"Sai?"

"He was the one taking you home after you fell unconscious." Kakashi spoke up. A grainy memory of Sai flashed though his mind before it disappeared. "You should thank him."

"I will," Naruto said. "I hope I didn't say anything…"

"Iruka, we should get going now that he's awake." Kakashi said. Iruka nodded.

"Wait, I want to have a few moments with Iruka." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded and left, closing the door behind him. In the darkened room, Iruka waited as Naruto gathered his thoughts. His hands were slightly shaking and he could see Naruto clench his teeth. Iruka smiled sadly and placed his hands over Naruto's.

"I can already image what happened." Iruka said. He had taken a look at Naruto's torso last night and he could see various fresh bruises along the blonds' hips.

"Iruka…when he called me he said he changed. He sounded sincere. I wanted to believe him. I really did." He couldn't stop his hands from shaking. He could still recall his voice, the words he spoke that made Naruto foolishly believe he had changed. He gritted his teeth. He was a fool to believe him. Angry tears spilled over his eyes. He was either a fool or a masochist; maybe both. Iruka consoled him, the one thing he could do for Naruto and the only person Naruto willing let himself feel vulnerable in front of. He leaned his head against Iruka's shoulder, gripping Iruka's shirt.

"…I really thought he changed…" Naruto's voice sounded thick. Iruka stared at the wall before his eyes, feeling the slight tremble in the younger man's body. He couldn't find the right words to say, to help make Naruto feel better, if only a little. He pulled away and smiled gently, brushing back those blond bangs.

"Whether he's changed or not, it doesn't matter. Right now, you take it easy and rest. I'll come back around dinner time." He said. Naruto nodded and rubbed his eyes dry.

"Alright." Naruto said. Iruka nodded and stood up. He said goodbye and left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Naruto in the cool darkness of his room. The blond sighed as he laid back down and stared at the ceiling. He let his fingers graze the gauze around his neck. He closed his eyes, recollecting the bitter reunion. Sasuke hadn't changed much except his hair was longer. He still looked handsome even with that smirky smile. He also seemed to have gotten taller but it was hard to tell when Sasuke had pushed him down on the grass, tearing off his shirt. That brute strength of his hadn't changed, still reckless with it as ever.

Beside him on his bedside table, his cellphone rang. He quickly grabbed it to shut the noise off. His head was still pounding but to a much lesser degree than when he first woke up. He flipped open the phone and mumbled a disgruntled hello.

"You sound horrible." The voice said. Naruto's body went cold quickly.

"…what do you want?" Naruto replied, keeping his voice as monotone as he could. On the other line, Sasuke chuckled.

"Are you seeing anybody?" He asked.

"…huh?"

"Dating, idiot," Sasuke said. "Are you _dating_ anyone?"

"Shut up," Naruto said. "I don't have to tell you shit."

Sasuke chuckled, "It's a no then. Figures."

"Listen you; unless you're calling to apologize, I'm hanging up the phone." Naruto said.

"Apologize?" Sasuke questioned. "The other day…that was consensual."

"The hell it was!" Naruto yelled, sitting up. He immediately groaned and clutched his head. The room was starting to spin. He breathed in deeply, waiting for the dizzy spell to end. Naruto dropped the phone on his lap and pressed the speaker button.

"Stop lying to yourself." Sasuke's voice seemed to reverberate through the entire room. "You enjoyed it just as much as I did…"

"I didn't!" Naruto yelled. He grabbed his phone and ended the call, tossing it aside. He calmed his breathing and kept still until he couldn't feel the room spinning. He laid back down once he felt like he wouldn't need to throw up. He opened the drawer on the bedside table and took out a small packet of sleeping pills. He grabbed the bottle of water from the drawer and took the pills. Naruto waited to fall into a dreamless sleep. And while he waited he couldn't stop one single thought that kept running through his head.

Deep down, Naruto knew it _was_ consensual. And he hated himself for it.

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><p><em>So, like it? Hate it? Plot bunny be generic? Please, do tell. Also, extra warning, things might get f**ked up, in Naruto and Sasuke's case, depending on how I portray Sasuke. I have a general idea...but I'll be adding more jerkass-ness to him. I don't hate Sasuke as a character...I just like to mess with him a bit. Or a lot.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

**Beautiful night~**

**I'm half delirious right now. It's 4:30am and I've been running on like, 3 hours of sleep from last night. So...I'm pretty exhausted. This was done a while ago, but finals were being all scary so I had to study a bit. And Tumblr has killed, I mean, ENHANCED my life. Short A/N. Here's chap 2. So, enjoy, review, y'know, all that usual stuff. Big bad jerk makes his appearance next chapter.**

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><p>On a truly beautiful Sunday, with the sun beaming brightly and the sky cloudless as far as the eye could see, Naruto willingly stayed indoors. It was unlike him, he loved days where the sun shone with all its might, warming the ground and air. When he was younger, Naruto would climb out the window and up to the roof where the view of the town was unobstructed and breathtaking. There he would sun bathe without care until Iruka would lecture him back down and scold him for doing something reckless. Naruto looked around his dark room; every second of staring made him more depressed. With a shake of his head, Naruto stood up, walking away from the window. He left his room, walking to a window by the kitchen. He lifted it open and climbed out.<p>

There was a gentle breeze but the sunlight was just strong enough that a small wind wouldn't deter from its radiance. Naruto grinned as he grabbed the secured gutter pipe and used it to help himself scamper up the side of the building. When he sat down on the roof, he looked at the horizon. The town looked breathtakingly peaceful from the high view; a reason why Naruto loved the roof so much as a child. It made him feel as if he wasn't alone. With a cheerful grin, Naruto pulled off his shirt. He walked to the top of the roof, where it was the flattest. He laid his shirt of the sun-heated shingles and rested on top of it. Naruto sighed happily, stretching like a cat as he felt the sunrays warm his back. Birds chirped pleasantly and with the gentle wind blowing, it didn't take long for Naruto to fall into a light sleep.

Meanwhile, Kiba and Sai were walking up the stairs to Naruto's apartment with Akamaru trotting beside his owner. Kiba was carrying a box of chocolate doughnuts. Sai looked over at the box, doubting if a box of chocolate doughnuts would cheer up Naruto.

"Kiba, will those really work?" He asked.

"Of course they will," Kiba replied, stopping in front of Naruto's front door. "That guy is ruled by his stomach. These will perk him up." He pressed the doorbell and waited. Sai glanced at the door then back at Kiba. Akamaru pondered around the edge, sniffing the air.

"About Sasuke…what do you know about him?" Sai asked.

Kiba scratched his head as he thought how to respond to that.

"I don't really know, man." Kiba said after a moment's pause. "I mean, we all grew up together but Sasuke was the antisocial type. He was raised by his brother, Itachi, until a few years ago. He was sick, Sasuke's brother, and he died of the illness he had. Aside from that, I know just as much as everyone else." Sai stared at Kiba as he leaned against the wall beside the door. "If you want to know more, Sakura has a better understanding of what happened between him and Naruto. You can ask Naruto too but I'd advice against that."

"Why?" Sai asked.

"Okay, maybe I know more than most, not as much as Sakura, but those last six months of their relationship were not pretty at all. I'm sure it's still fresh in Naruto's mind." A somber atmosphere settled between them. Akamaru whined and turned around, pressing his nozzle against Kiba's thigh. "What is it?" Akamaru padded over to the edge and he glanced up. Kiba followed his gaze and he saw a pair of feet sticking out from the roof.

"What the hell…?"

"What's wrong?" Sai asked, walking over to Kiba.

"He's sleeping on the roof. That idiot is gonna fall." He handed the box to Sai. Kiba climbed on top of the rail, holding on to the edge of the roof.

"C'mon, let's wake the idiot up." Kiba said with a grin.

"You don't need to do that." A voice behind Sai said. Sai turned around, seeing Iruka and Kakashi walk up the stairs. "We got it covered." Kakashi said.

"Damn," Kiba said, jumping down the rail. "I was hoping I could have some fun with it. Anyway, we brought some donuts for him. Sakura's worried since he's hasn't been to class all week. Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Iruka said. "He caught a slight cold when the three of you went drinking last week."

"Really?" Kiba asked. He shrugged, calling Akamaru to him. "And here I thought idiots couldn't catch a cold. Well, Sakura said she'll be over later to hand him the notes he missed but I'll tell her he's sick. C'mon, Sai, let's go find her." Without even waiting for an answer, Kiba began walking down the stairs. Sai walked over to Iruka and handed him the slim box. Iruka smiled his thanks and as Sai was leaving, the artist turned around.

"Is he _really_ okay?" He asked. Kakashi had the door opened and was already inside.

"Don't worry, Sai," Iruka said. "He'll be okay." Sai nodded but he didn't feel reassured. He left after Kiba, walking behind the dog owner. He knew he wasn't being coldly pushed away but it didn't mean he liked it. Sai turned around, staring in the direction of Naruto's apartment. He could feel something was off but he still felt like a stranger in regards to Naruto. The blond obviously disliked him but he didn't hate Sai. That much Sai knew. And even if Sakura did say Naruto cared for him, Sai knew he wouldn't understand until he heard it from the blonds' mouth.

"Oi, Sai! C'mon." Kiba called out. With one last glance, Sai turned around and jogged after Kiba.

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><p>Iruka took a deep breath in, after lecturing, or rather, scolding Naruto for falling asleep on the roof. Naruto sat on his sofa, shoulders hunched as he grumbled. Which had prompted another long winding scolding from his concerned guardian: what if he had fallen?<p>

Or gotten terribly burned?

Or had _fallen_?

Iruka brought up the whole 'could've fallen off the roof' enough times for Naruto to never sleep on the roof again; at least not for a while. Iruka sat down on the chair, exhausted as he finally let Naruto off the hook.

"You haven't been going to your classes." Iruka said, breaking the silence between them. Naruto shifted his eyes away, guiltily looking at the front door. It wasn't like he was avoiding his classes. In all honesty, he was avoiding Sakura. He knew she was going to ask questions and he didn't particularly feel like answering those questions. Iruka leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his thighs. "Naruto?"

"I know," Naruto said. "I promise I'll go back tomorrow."

"I know you are," Iruka said. "But there's something else."

"Sasuke's back in town." Kakashi said bluntly. Iruka sighed; he was hoping he would _ease_ into that conversation. Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at Kakashi. By the look in his eyes, the older man wasn't lying. Naruto looked to Iruka, hoping that they were actually pulling a joke on him, but Iruka had that same serious look in his eyes. They weren't lying.

Sasuke was back.

"Oh god, no," Naruto groaned, leaning back. "They're letting him back? What about that rehab he was placed in? Didn't you say he was going to stay there for a year?"

"He's out on good behavior," Iruka said. Naruto ran his fingers through his hair, refusing to believe Iruka's words. Was that why Sasuke called him that night last week? Was he actually taunting him now? He groaned again, clutching his head as he tried so hard not to believe that Sasuke was coming back. Iruka shared a glance at Kakashi, whom gave him a nod. Iruka returned the nod and stood up, sitting back down beside Naruto.

"You'll be fine, Naruto," Iruka said, bracing an arm around Naruto's hunched shoulders. "You don't have to be scared."

"I'm not scared, Iruka," Naruto deftly said. "I don't want to see him."

"Well, you don't have to worry about him." Kakashi said. "He's been told to keep his distance from you and he'll be watched periodically. Whatever you do, do not approach him alone." Kakashi sternly gazed at Naruto, reinforcing his point which Naruto was about to refute but stopped. Kakashi was perceptive; Naruto had to give him that. In his mind, Naruto knew he wouldn't actively search for Sasuke, he knew he shouldn't. But he had already ignored that voice of reason, when he met Sasuke outside the town. His emotions, not quite raw but considerably fresh, were too unstable to rationalize. Kakashi knew that without having to ask questions. Naruto nodded after a final thought. He vowed to do his best to stay away but he couldn't keep a promise.

"I can do that." Naruto said, reassuring his thoughts. Kakashi nodded after a long pause.

"Kiba and Sai were here," Iruka said. "They brought you donuts." He pointed to the counter. Naruto grinned and quickly walked over, sitting down on a stool as he opened the slim box.

"Hell yes, chocolate!" Naruto shouted before he began stuffing his face. Iruka laughed and he stood up, walking over to small kitchen. He grabbed the carton of milk just as Naruto began motioning for milk. Naruto nodded his thanks as he took a swing straight from the carton. Iruka merely shook his head then looked inside the fridge. As usual, it was almost empty.

"Go do some shopping, Naruto." Iruka reprimanded. "You can't live on cup ramen forever."

"I can try."

"Funny." Iruka deadpanned. "Go get some actual food today. And start going to class again."

"Right." Naruto said as he finished off the last doughnut. He jogged to his room and searched around for a t-shirt. He made a mental note to do the laundry as he finally found a shirt, the last one, in the closet. He jogged back to his living room, grabbing his keys and wallet from the table. Iruka and Kakashi were at the door, ready to leave. Naruto quickly pulled on his sneakers and headed out. He might as well do the shopping now then later.

"I'll catch you later, Iruka." Naruto said, as he jogged past them. Iruka waved goodbye, closing the door to Naruto's apartment behind him. He glanced towards Kakashi.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"Things might not get so bad," Kakashi said. "But I wouldn't be too sure." Iruka sighed.

"Things are going to get bad. I just know it."

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><p>The sun was setting when Naruto began making his way home. He had several bags of grocery in his hands, ready to be stored as soon as he got home. He had called Sakura to help because she always picked out food that weren't pre-made. Living on his own meant Naruto could cook but he always preferred not to. He also wanted to reassure Sakura that he was fine. Of course, come the next day, if Sasuke did show up in his class, Sakura would immediately know he was far from okay. But that was tomorrow and Naruto didn't want heavy thoughts on his mind.<p>

"Naruto?"

The blond looked behind him. Sai was walking towards him, the setting sun created a glowing halo behind him.

"Afternoon, Sai," Naruto greeted. "Hey, thanks for the donuts earlier."

"They were Kiba's idea." Sai said. He fell in step with Naruto as they walked together.

"Either way, thanks. Chocolate cheers me up."

"What made you upset?" Sai asked.

"Sai, there's a thing called as boundary. And that question crosses it in a way you won't understand." Naruto said.

"Then tell me?" Sai said as he grabbed Naruto's arm. Naruto stared into those familiar dark eyes and his eyes widened when he saw the slow building frustration in them. Naruto pulled his arm away as he stepped back.

"Sai?"

"I'm tired of being left out." He said, interrupting the blond. "All I know is that you hate talking about Sasuke but I was dragged into this."

"How?" Naruto asked.

"Do I need to say?" Sai asked. Naruto furrowed his brow and it quickly came to him. He shook his head, understanding where Sai was coming from.

"Sai, that was _awhile_ ago. I… I really wasn't myself. Then you appeared and…"

"It was because I look like him." Sai stated.

"No!" Naruto quickly defended. "I mean…" He stopped and looked around. Passing by people were giving them a look. He sighed and took in a calming breath.

"Let's go to my place," Naruto said.

They walked in silence to Naruto's apartment. He knew where Sai was coming from. He was invariably dragged into this mess he called his past relationship. All because he was at the lowest part of his life after Sasuke left. He had taken advantage of Sai. They reached Naruto's apartment as the sky began darkening. Sai followed Naruto up to the top floor. He fished his keys out and unlocked the door, stepping into his apartment. Naruto kicked off his shoes as he headed straight to his small kitchen. Sai did the same, closing the door behind as he walked in. To Sai's surprise, Naruto's place seemed unusually kept. He turned his head towards the chuckle coming from the kitchen.

"Is it unusual that my I keep my place clean?" He asked as the blond began putting the grocery away.

"Yes." Sai answered.

"You don't hold back on your answers, do you?" Naruto said with a slight shake of his head.

"No," Sai said, sitting down at the counter meant to indicate a separation of the kitchen and living room. "Did you really sleep with me only because I look like Sasuke?" Sai asked. Naruto nearly gagged on the water he was drinking. He coughed, whacking his hand against his chest as he tried to catch his breath. Naruto turned around, smacking down the cup on the counter.

"You really don't hold back." He stated.

"That's not a bad thing," Sai said. "Are you going to answer?"

"…do you want anything to drink?" Naruto asked, turning back.

"Naruto…"

"I'm going to answer," Naruto said. "I'm trying to be a good host."

"I don't need a drink." Sai said. "I want an answer." Naruto sighed and turned back around. He sat opposite Sai, folding his hands together. He looked at his glass of water, watching a droplet of water streak down the glass.

"What exactly do you want me to say, Sai?" Naruto asked. "I did, okay? And I'm sorry if that's what you want. But it's wasn't exactly the best moment of my life. I was hurt. And I wanted _some_ kind of comfort. And you…"

"I was there." Sai finished for him. Naruto nodded, dropping his head down on the counter. "And you've been avoiding me since then."

"How was I supposed to face you after that?" Naruto asked, lifting his head back up. "I mean… it's like…" Naruto let out an aggravated sigh and dropped his head back down on the counter. "Can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Sure."

"Good!" Naruto said as he lifted his head back up. His eyes widened when Sai leaned in and pressed his lips against Naruto's. Surprised, Naruto pulled away, still wide eyed as he stared back at Sai. Sai's expression was, like always, pretty much expressionless. "What're you doing?"

"Kissing you." Sai said, matter of fact like.

"Well, I know that much! I mean, why?" Naruto said, rephrasing his question.

"I thought we had an understanding." Sai said.

"What understanding?" Naruto asked. "Sai, I don't want to start a relationship. Not now."

"You're still hung up on Sasuke, aren't you?" Sai said. Naruto growled as he stared at Sai.

"I _thought _we were dropping this conversation."

"We were dropping the conversation involving the circumstances that led us to sleep together. This is different." Sai said. Naruto groaned, and for the third time, he let his head rest on the counter.

"Sai, please, I don't want to talk about this." He mumbled. "I might as well tell you. Sasuke's coming back. He might be joining the university." Naruto gripped the edge of the counter, feeling a swirling sickness in the pit of his stomach.

"Okay, I understand." Sai said. He stared at the back of Naruto's head, tempting the notion of whether he should run his hand through his blond trusses. Instead, he stood up, pulling his hand away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Sai said. "I want to tell you, though, that I like you. I'm sure you heard this countless times but you need to forget about Sasuke." Naruto quickly lifted his head to defend that he _had _forgotten all about Sasuke but the look on Sai's face stopped him. Naruto stared down at the counter, his words lost on his lips.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, his gaze lowered.

"That I like you?" Sai asked. Naruto nodded. "Because I do."

A simple confession like that rattled Naruto.

A weak chuckle escaped his lips as he felt his face heat up. "No subtly whatsoever." The blond commented. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sai." Naruto said, keeping his face down. Sai nodded, not that Naruto could see. The blond didn't move until he heard the door close. He kept his head on the counter for a minute longer until he forced himself to stand up. He needed to sleep. It was an escape, Naruto admitted that to himself, but he wanted to slip away from his fogged mind. As he shuffled to his room, his cell phone vibrated. Sluggishly, he fished out his cell phone from his pants and looked at the caller ID.

It was Sasuke.

A rage he hadn't known he was holding back burst forward. He yelled and threw the phone against the wall. Naruto stepped back, sliding down the wall until he sat on the floor. His phone began vibrating again but Naruto ignored it. He leaned his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Goddamnit!" Naruto growled. He couldn't sort out the mixed emotions storming in him. He didn't know what to say, do, or think. And his cell phone kept vibrating. It was pissing him off. Naruto got to his feet and walked over to his phone, picking it up. He checked the caller ID again. Sasuke had called. Another growl escaped Naruto's lips. He marched to the living room and towards the fridge. His phone began vibrating again and with no hesitance, he tossed his cell phone inside the fridge. He walked back to his room and fell face-forward on his bed.

"I won't let you get to me, Sasuke." He mumbled as he closed his eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello~! New chapter, short AN.**

**Now that I finally wrote some sort of outline, I'll be posting chapters every two weeks. Maybe less since I'm on summer vacation. Though I will be working more. But generally, around two weeks. Also, reason last chapter was posted like a month later, I was getting confused with the finer details of the characters and settings. Now that I've written it down, it will be easier. I'll be changing some minor details of the in the 1st and 2nd chapter. Whatever happened in the last chapters still happened. It's the finer points: age, changing village to town, and fleshing out some characters but this last part I'm applying to here onward since well, there's only been three recurring characters so far and I've pretty much got there personality set. Thanks for putting up with this.**

**Now then, Enjoy and review~**

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><p>Why couldn't birds chirp quietly, was the first conscious thought in Naruto's head when he woke up. He grumbled and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he slowly propped himself up on his elbows. Sunlight was streaming through the slits of his curtains, lighting up parts of the floor underneath the window. He sighed and laid back down. Naruto was tired. He didn't sleep well during the night. Empty dreams kept waking him up every hour or so. In total, Naruto figured he had at lease gotten three hours of sleep. The blond sighed and rolled over, surprisingly landing on the floor with a sudden shock.<p>

That knocked the sleep right out of him as he gazed at the ceiling. With a hefty sigh, Naruto began getting ready. He headed for the bathroom, warming up the shower as he brushed his teeth. He stepped into the shower once the water was hot enough. He washed his body, humming a tune to get his mind thinking about something other than the coming day. He shut off the water and stepped out, wrapping the towel around his waist. He caught his reflection in the mirror and he stopped. Blue weary eyes stared back at him; tired and weary eyes that did not belong to a 20-year old guy, much less Naruto himself. Naruto braced his hands against the edge of the sink and leaned forward. He glared at his reflection.

"C'mon, Naruto, I can do this. Nothing is going to happen." With a quick affirmative nod, Naruto began to get ready for class.

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><p>Naruto ended up walking into class earlier than he had planned. The classroom was empty which was reasonable considering the class didn't start until nine thirty. He was an hour early. The blond took his seat on the third row, right at the end of the aisle. He looked around, wondering where Sasuke would sit or if he would even be in the same class as him. For a moment, a worried smile crept onto Naruto's face before it disappeared. With his luck, Sasuke might've enrolled in all of his classes. With a heavy sigh, Naruto rested his head on the table. He closed his eyes for a second and drifted off to a light nap.<p>

"Naruto?"

Someone was shaking him. Naruto shrugged off the hand, nestling his head against his arms. Sakura frowned and set her books down. Sai gathered his books as he watched Sakura grab a thin but large textbook. Naruto mumbled happily, uttering something about food. With an evil grin, Sakura slammed the book against Naruto's hunched back. Naruto yelled, arching back as the pain raced down his spine. He collapsed over the table, flexing his back as he tried to ease the pain.

"Sakura! Why'd you do that far!"

"Where's your cellphone?" She asked, going to her seat beside Sai. Naruto blinked, standing up as he fished around his pockets. He didn't feel it. Then he remembered he left it in the fridge. Naruto paused to think. He could've just shut the phone off instead.

"I sent you so many texts only to find you happily sleeping away!" She said, closing her notebook.

"What? But it's only-" It wasn't until then that Naruto noticed the classroom was empty but there was something different. There were words and notes and easer streaks on the white board. He looked at the clock and it was ten minutes past eleven thirty. He had slept through the whole class.

"I, um, left my phone in the fridge." Naruto said, sitting down. Did he really just sleep through a lecture?

"The fridge? Why?" Sakura asked.

"Ummm, to cool it down?" He answered with a sheepish grin. "Anyway, why didn't you guys wake me up?"

"You didn't sleep last night." Sai said. Naruto flinched, sending a glare towards his pale friend. How the hell did he know?

"He means you have bags under your eyes." Sakura said as she got to her feet. The blond blinked, gingerly touching underneath his eyes. He didn't see anything unusual when he looked in the mirror in the morning. Maybe he overlooked it? With his mind constantly on Sasuke, he wasn't surprised that he missed it. Naruto let out a heavy sigh as he stood up.

"Sakura, can I-"

"No." Sakura quickly answered, walking past him.

"Eh? But I didn't even ask yet!"

"I'm busy with work lately now that the exam is over." Naruto grabbed his things and followed her, begging. "C'mon, Sakura! You're good at explaining things."

"That didn't seem the case when we studied together." Sai spoke up. Naruto turned back.

"No one asked you!" He said, facing back towards Sakura. "Sakura, please?" He asked again. Sakura turned on her heels so fast she nearly startled Naruto out of his skin. It always wasn't good when Sakura became even remotely mad. Even Sai stood frozen behind Naruto.

"Sai's in all your classes," Sakura said slowly. She made sure she spoke clearly enough for Naruto to understand. "He keeps better notes than me. I suggest you invite Sai over to your place to catch up. Are we clear?" The aura around her was dangerously murderous.

"…crystal." Naruto replied weakly.

"Good." She smiled brightly and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Let's go grab a bite to eat. You too, Sai."

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><p>By the time the afternoon rolled around, Naruto had completely forgotten about Sasuke. After his second class after lunch, he went with Sai to the library to take down the notes he had missed. After three grueling hours, he had enough. Kiba had stopped by and since the day was done, they challenged each other at a soccer match over who would play for drinks later that night. He was on the field with the guys.<p>

It was three against three.

Skins verses shirts.

Naruto, along with Sai and Neji were skins. Shikamaru was their goalie. While Lee, Choji, and Kiba were shirts with Shino as their goalie. The score was tied, each team with four points. Kiba's team was in control of the ball, easily running towards Shikamaru. Naruto grinned as he caught up to Kiba and stole the ball.

"Shit!" Kiba growled as he chased after the blond. Hinata and Sakura were seated at a picnic table underneath a large tree, watching the game. They had their books away. It was too good a day to spend it studying. On the field, Naruto passed the ball to Neji before Kiba could steal it back.

"Choji! Get beside him!" Kiba yelled, charging towards the older male. Choji nodded, getting into position. Naruto moved closer just as Kiba slid towards Neji. Caught by surprise, Neji fumbled over his feet, which was embarrassing for someone of the Hyuga family, and fell. Choji took control of the ball as Kiba howled triumphantly.

"You guys are gonna buy me a nice large meal!" Choji shouted as he ran back towards the other end of the field.

"This will be a real pain in the ass if we end up losing." Shikamaru uttered.

"Stop whining!" Naruto yelled at Shikamaru, even though he was all the way near the opposite field, as he dashed towards Choji. He didn't need to hear it. Shikamaru's body language said it all. "Sai!" The artist nodded and, with Neji back on his feet, ran after Choji. Neji was after Lee as Choji passed the ball to his teammate. Shikamaru braced himself. They were getting closer again.

"Lee! Pass it to Choji!" Kiba shouted.

"INTERCEPT IT!" Naruto yelled.

"But-"

"JUST DO IT!" Kiba yelled. Lee shrugged and passed the ball towards Choji. Neji barely missed it, almost stumbling over his feet again. He quickly regained his balance but not before Lee saw it.

"You seem to be stumbling a lot." Lee stated, grinning widely. Neji sucked his teeth and briskly looked away. Naruto and Sai were after Choji and they were slowing gaining on him. Kiba cupped his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath.

"Oi! Choji! Shikamaru just said you stood to lose a few more pounds!"

"Crap." Naruto uttered.

"What the hell!" Shikamaru yelled. "I didn't!" He added to Choji but it was too late. With fire in his eyes, Choji charged towards the goal. As he neared the goal, he reared back his leg.

"I. AM NOT. FAT!" With a hoarse yell, Choji kicked the ball with all his might. Shikamaru ducked as the ball whizzed past his head. He could've sworn the speeding ball broke the sound barrier. Naruto groaned, clutching his head at the mere thought of having to pay for Choji's meal. He stomped towards Kiba, who was howling in laughter, and grabbed him by the collar of the shirt.

"That was a cheap shot!" He yelled.

"It was fair game." He replied. "Beside, your goalie ducked."

"It's still a cheap-ass shot!" Naruto said, letting go of Kiba. Then he turned towards his goalie. "Shikamaru!"

"I'll pay for Choji's meal if that'll shut you up." Shikamaru said as he walked towards them.

"Deal." Naruto quickly replied and began discussing how they would pay for the drinks.

Over by the table, Hinata was chuckling, watching as the boys talked amongst themselves. They were still several yards away so she turned towards Sakura. She didn't want Naruto to overhear her.

"Sakura, I saw Sasuke today." She said. The pleasant smile on Sakura's lips faded as she nodded.

"Yeah, he's back."

"Does…does Naruto know?"

Sakura nodded again. The girls looked at Naruto, head locked in the arms of Kiba. Hinata sighed and twiddled her thumbs together.

"He looks fine." She said.

"He hasn't met him yet. Neither have I," Sakura said. "Where did you see him?"

"He's in my English class." Hinata said. "I was…surprised. He's changed, I think. I mean, he looks…calmer."

"I'll have to see for myself." Sakura said as the boys finally reached them.

"C'mon, today's dinner is on them!" Kiba said, waving towards Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, and Sai. Hinata and Sakura smiled as they gathered their things. There was no use fretting over the inevitable.

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><p>"We'll be going now," Shino said, helping Hinata to her feet. It was well into the night; Lee and Neji being the first to leave. Lee's reason for leaving first was because he couldn't handle liquor well. Apparently, he was a fast drunk and the loud-type of drunk. Though that's what they all tell him considering Lee never remembers exactly what happens when he does get drunk. Needless to say, it wasn't always pretty. Funny beyond all reason but a drunk Lee was a dangerous one. Shikamaru stayed long enough to pay for Choji's meal and he had managed to not pay for the drinks as well. Choji wasn't much of a drinker and left soon after Shikamaru. Hinata hiccupped softly, leaning against Shino with a pleasant smile.<p>

"For some reason, I always expected Hinata to be a lightweight." Naruto said, genuinely surprised when he had seen Hinata drink more than her fair share of alcohol. Kiba grinned and shook his head.

"Nah, she ain't a lightweight. She's a heck of a lot better than Lee. She'd just fall asleep."

"I'll go too." Sakura said, getting to her feet. "It's getting late anyways."

"Heh, it's way past late." Kiba said. "Thanks for the drinks, guys." He added towards Naruto and Sai.

"Whatever, you damn cheater." Naruto mumbled as he started to get up. At least it didn't leave a too considerable large dent in his wallet. Neji had pitched in as well but Kiba made sure he ordered all the drinks he could handle. Naruto himself didn't drink except for one cup which barely left even a buzz. Sai didn't drink, per usual. They left the bar together. Kiba, Shino, and a sleeping Hinata live fairly close to each other, the opposite direction of where Naruto and Sai lived. Sakura lived closer to the heart of the town, near the hospital.

"Make sure you study those notes." Sakura said before she waved goodbye.

Naruto grumbled a yes and started walking home with Sai in tow.

"You're sober tonight." Sai said.

"Well yeah," Naruto said. "I don't drink as much as you probably think I do."

"There was that night." Sai said.

"Don't bring that up." Naruto said, not wanting to get into that particular conversation at the moment.

"Then a week ago you drank yourself senseless." Sai continued.

"That…I don't want to get into that either."

"It had to do with Sasuke, didn't it." Sai stated. Naruto groaned, ruffling up his hair as he stared at Sai.

"Didn't you understand when I said I didn't want to get into it?" Naruto said. He slowly rubbed his temples, feeling the on-comings of a headache.

"I did," Sai said, pausing. "But I don't want to avoid it." Naruto groaned again, walking ahead of Sai. The night sky was cloudless and a gentle breeze stirred through the air. They were walking through the park, Naruto's preferred shortcut as oppose to taking the main streets. The trees and green scenery always calmed his mind. Though it was impossible with Sai wanting to bare open wounds Naruto would rather leave ignored. The blond walked over to a tree, leaning against the bark as he glanced at the artist. His dark eyes were unyielding.

"Sai…why are you doing this to me?" He asked, shutting his eyes. He heard Sai's footsteps walk towards him. Sai stopped mere inches away from him. The artist said nothing as he raised his hand to cup Naruto's cheek. Naruto looked up at him. His eyes were still unyielding, waiting for an answer. Naruto opened his mouth then quickly closed it. He didn't know what to say. Or rather, he didn't want to say it. All he wanted was to forget and move on. But there was no chance of that with Sasuke back. And Sai seemed persistent to delve into the blonds' personal wounds. Naruto glanced at Sai before he looked away.

Truthfully, Naruto did sleep with Sai because of his looks. The similarity he had seen between Sai and Sasuke made him approach the artist. But after that, Naruto did his best to avoid him. It wasn't because of their similar appearance but because of the vast difference in their personality. He couldn't adjust to it. He looked back up at Sai only to have those perfect bow-shaped lips press against him. Naruto almost pushed him away but he stopped, resting his hands against Sai's chest. He wasn't going to deny himself of what could possibly lead to sex. For a second, his mind flashed back to a week ago, with Sasuke but he shook his head. He wanted sex where he wouldn't feel completely dirty afterwards. Naruto pulled away and gripped his fingers into dark lush hair. If he was going to get a kiss, he wanted a proper one.

He nipped at Sai's bottom lip, pulling him close. He felt the trunk of the tree behind him and Sai's warm body pressed against him in front. Sai kissed him again, licking the blonds' bottom lip. Naruto parted his lips, letting Sai's tongue dance with his. A shiver passed through Naruto's spine as Sai dominated the kiss. He breathed deeply through his nose, feeling Sai's hands slide down the side of his body. He growled and grabbed Sai's hand, leading it down to his pants.

"Not there." Sai said. Naruto blinked in confusion as he looked at the artist.

"What do you mean, 'not there'?" He asked. Sai took his hand and slid his hand underneath his shirt. He felt Sai's nimble fingers brush against his stomach. An unexpected shiver ran through him, more sensual than before. Sai's hand rested on his hip and he could feel a finger trace a lazy circle along his skin.

"I'm not going to do it aggressively like you want it too." Sai said. Naruto blushed, quite speechless.

"Isn't that fucking sweet." A single clap pierced the night air.

They both looked to their right. Sasuke was in the middle of the paved path, his arms crossed across his chest and a smirk on his lips. The warm, pleasant, heat left Naruto's body as he stared at him. The moonlight was casted on him, almost illuminating his pale skin. He had his hair pulled back into a small ponytail and the bangs were brushed away his face, held back by a pin. He looked like he came from studying. He was dressed lightly in his usual color of black.

"You don't have to be gentle on him," Sasuke said. "He likes it _rough_." Sasuke pointed to his own neck and Naruto shoulders hunched up. Sai stared at Sasuke, taking in his relaxed stance. He was very well enjoying the discomfort he was causing Naruto.

"Shut the hell up." Naruto snapped back.

"Hmm, that's a pretty sad attempt at a comeback."

"Sai, let's go." Naruto said, grabbing his hand.

"You're not even going to try talking small talk," Sasuke asked. "_How are you? I'm fine, thank you. And you?_" Naruto glared at him, wishing he could magically teleport home.

"I can't believe they let you out." Naruto uttered, his fist clenched. "Good behavior, my ass! You're still the same!"

Sasuke shook his head. "I did change. I'm much more…_calmer_ than I was before."

Naruto growled and slipped past Sai as he stomped towards Sasuke. He roughly grabbed Sasuke by the collar of his shirt and glared at Sasuke's calm face, his fingers tightly clenched around the fabric. Sasuke smirked and lifted his hand, cupping his hand against the blonds' cheek. Naruto flinched but he didn't loosen his grip on Sasuke's shirt.

"How has it been these last six months?" Sasuke asked.

"Shut the hell up," Naruto uttered, his voice hoarse. "You don't need to know."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke questioned. "I heard you were having difficulties."

"Why the hell did you come back?" Naruto asked, ignoring Sasuke's question. Sasuke sighed and he slowly dug his fingers into Naruto's flesh. Naruto flinched but he remained unyielding. He could handle more and he conveyed that in his heated glare. Sasuke grinned sadistically and he leaned in close.

"Don't think I've left you," Sasuke whispered. "Being sent away was a setback."

"They should've kept you in there permanently."

Sai stared at the two. He could tell they were talking but he couldn't hear. What he could see was the trembling throughout Naruto's body. He wasn't sure why but he felt like he needed to step in. Though he was sure Sasuke wouldn't do anything dramatic. He still couldn't help but want to step in. Sai held himself back but he kept himself tense in case he needed to step in.

"Sasuke, why the hell are you here?" Naruto growled, tightening his fist around Sasuke's collar. Sasuke sighed. He dug his fingers deeper into Naruto's face, to the point where he began drawing blood. Naruto still didn't flinch.

"You are still mine," Sasuke whispered viciously. "You don't seem to realize that."

"I am _not_ yours." Naruto uttered. He pushed back Sasuke and walked away, his body still trembling. He walked past Sai without saying a word to him. Sai didn't pursue him. He knew Naruto wanted to be alone. Sasuke brushed down his shirt and grinned.

"You knew." He loudly said. "You knew what was really in me even before Itachi died." Naruto stopped but he didn't turn around. He couldn't face Sasuke. Nor could he stop the insistent trembling throughout his body. Not because he was scared but because he knew Sasuke was telling the truth. "So don't say you don't know why I'm here. _I've missed you and I know you missed me_."

Naruto broke into a run, away from Sasuke. This time, Sai did chase after him. He still had not the faintest idea what they were talking about but he knew he couldn't leave Naruto alone now. Sasuke watched the artist run after Naruto but he made sure to remember the face. For now, he would leave the artist alone but he knew something would have to be done about him. Sasuke could tell he was going to be a threat.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello~**

**Late chapter is late. I've been tumblin'  
>As always, please enjoy and review.<strong>

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><p>"I swear I'm going to kill him!" Naruto yelled, punching the wall in his living room. He gritted his teeth as he pulled back and punched again and again. Pain ricocheted up his arm but he was oblivious to it all. He needed some outlet, anything, to vent the frustration that had built up in him during that short talk with Sasuke. He pulled his arm back, fists tightly clenched, but he felt a hand wrap around his wrist. Naruto growled, turning around to coldly glare at Sai. Wordlessly, he tugged his arm back but Sai's grip only tightened on his wrist. Sai patiently stared at him and Naruto had to look away. He couldn't stare back at those eyes. There wasn't pity in those obsidian eyes but patience. He relaxed his arm as he let the artist lead him to the couch and sat down. Naruto stared blankly at his bloody knuckles. He somehow managed a small cut across his knuckles. He squeezed his hand into a tight fist and watched as a droplet of blood form at the corner of the cut. It pooled then slid down his hand.<p>

"Where is your first aid kit?" Sai asked.

"…the bathroom under the sink." Naruto responded. Sai stood up and walked towards the bathroom. Naruto remained still as stone, his gaze fixed on the floor. He could hear Sasuke's cold voice, repeating one single line that shook his very core. He could deny it all he wanted but it wouldn't go away no matter how many times he wanted it to not be true.

_ I've missed you and I know you missed me_.

"I don't miss you," He whispered. "_I don't._" He stared at his palm and smirked.

_Fucking lies,_ he thought as he clenched his fists.

He heard Sai's footsteps and looked up. Sai was standing beside him with the small box with a small red cross on the front. He knelt down in front of Naruto and the blond looked away. He couldn't meet those eyes of his. Sai's eyes, those dark eyes, felt like they could stare deep into his soul and pull out all the secrets he harbored close to his heart.

"Give me your hand." Sai said. Naruto held out his bruised left hand and watched as the artist began to disinfect the small wounds. Sai didn't say a word as he tended to Naruto's hand.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Naruto whispered. "He's a fucking prick." Sai wrapped up Naruto's hand with the gauze then he looked at him. Naruto blinked and casted his gaze away from Sai's own gaze.

"He did seem like his usual self." Sai said, attempting at some humor. A strained smile appeared on Naruto's lips. It was at least something, Sai thought. He grabbed a dry cotton ball and soaked it in alcohol. "This might sting." Sai said as he cleaned the blood off Naruto's face. There wasn't much but he could see the grooves of Sasuke's fingernail on Naruto's cheeks. Sasuke definitely didn't hold back. Naruto wouldn't need bandages on his face but the marks would be visibly noticeable by morning. Naruto still had his gaze away from Sai and he could see vulnerability in the blond that he hadn't seen in a long while. Not since six months ago.

"Y'know, he wasn't always cruel. Antisocial and snarky with his comments, yes, but he was never… sadistic." Naruto said, gazing out the living room window. His eyes were listless as whatever memory of the past flickered through his mind. The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile then it faded. He bit his bottom lip, his brow furrowed in thought. Sai grabbed Naruto's hand and the blond blinked. He looked back at Sai, his eyes wide with uncertain curiosity.

"You don't have to say anything, tonight." Sai said. Naruto blinked. Then he blinked again and looked away. He was relieved. Sai could feel the trembling lessen from Naruto's hand. Naruto raised his hand to his cheek, feeling the grooves that Sasuke left.

"Thanks," he said. He sighed and leaned back. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Naruto heard Sai get up and sit beside him. Naruto sat up and he glanced over at Sai then looked at his bandaged hand. He flexed his fingers. He looked over at Sai and the artist was gazing at him. Naruto cheeks flushed and he looked away. Suddenly, he was all too aware of their proximity. He wanted to crawl to his bed and sleep. On the other hand, he didn't want Sai to leave. He still remembered the feel of Sai's lips against his own. He tucked his legs underneath him and rested his head on his side of the armrest. It was probably best that Sai left and when the blond heard Sai get up, he resisted the urge to stop him.

"Make sure you lock the-" Naruto spoke but was quickly interrupted as Sai turned Naruto around, much to the blonds' surprise. With no hesitation, Sai leaned over Naruto and kissed him. This time, Naruto didn't bother with the notion of pushing Sai away. The blond nipped at Sai's lips, clawing at Sai's shirt. He wanted it off. The artist slowly kissed Naruto deeply, shifting over him. He kneeled over Naruto, pushing him down on the couch. Naruto growled against him as he clawed at Sai's clothes. He _really_ wanted them off. Naruto, reluctantly, pulled away from the searing kiss. He started to unzip Sai's jacket since it seemed like Sai wasn't going to do it himself.

"Where do you keep it?" Sai asked in between kisses.

"In my room… in the drawer…" Naruto sat upright, answering in-between those hurried kisses. He grabbed Sai's hand as he led the artist to his bedroom. They resumed their frenzied kisses, being careful not to trip over their feet, Naruto shivering as Sai explored every inch of his mouth with his tongue. Sai spotted the drawer, right next to Naruto's bed. He grabbed Naruto and pinned the blond against the wall beside it. Naruto pulled away, opening his drawer beside his bed and grabbed the small tube. Before Sai could take the tube, Naruto grabbed his wrists. The blond stared at his hands and he mentally scolded himself. He was sure Sai could feel his slight trembling. But, so far, Sai hadn't asked.

"Sai, please, don't be gentle." He asked, lifting his head up. He kept his gaze steady as he stared into those obsidian eyes.

"Naruto…" Sai's voice trailed off. The blond shook his head and steadied his gaze.

"Please," he begged. There was some desperation in Naruto's voice. "Just this once, I promise. Next time, I swear, we can do it your way."

"Next time?" Sai questioned, raising an eyebrow. Naruto blinked then blushed as he realized what that implicated. He shifted his gaze away, his cheeks coloring into a brighter red. Would there really be a next time? Or would it turn into another one night stand. Naruto couldn't find an answer but if he was asking Sai to intentionally hurt him, somewhere deep inside he knew it was going to end up being more than a quick fuck. He returned his gaze back towards Sai.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Next time." He stared at Sai, deftly challenging to artist to question his resolve. The corners of Sai's lips lifted into a small smile. He leaned in close and kissed the corner of Naruto's right eye.

"Only this once." Sai said. Naruto nodded and Sai could feel the grip on his wrist loosen. He gulped, the stare Sai was giving him, it was setting his body on fire. Before he could blink, he found his hands pinned above his head. A small gasped escaped his lips, surprised by the strength that held his hands bound together. Sai wasn't giving him time to form a single coherent thought as he kissed him. Sai's lips, his tongue, they were making him melt from the inside. He tried to move his hands but all he could manage was to wiggle his fingers. Sai's hand was unyielding.

The artist was dominating, languidly exploring his mouth, noticing the effect of his kisses on the blond. When Sai finally pulled away, Naruto was panting. His entire face was flushed and red. Sai glided his hands along Naruto's stomach, letting his long finger trailing lightly against tanned flesh. That was all it took. A breathy moan escaped Naruto's lips as his knees buckled. Sai released Naruto's hands and kneeled in front of him. With shaky arms, Naruto reached towards Sai's pants. Sai silently watched as he fumbled over the button. It was amusing for a bit before he helped out. He did the same for Naruto, swiftly unbuttoning the pants. Naruto braced his palm against the floor as he lifted his hips, allowing Sai to tug off his pants. He took in a sharp intake of breath when he felt the sudden cold air around his freed erection. Sai leaned in close again and kissed the blonds' neck.

"Sai… I said not-" He yelped when Sai bit him, just at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Despite himself, Naruto shivered as the pain slowly mingled with pleasure then faded away, replaced by the feel of Sai's lips. Sai grabbed the tube, popping the cap open as he spread a liberal amount over his erect cock. Naruto stared at him intently, his tongue flicking over his bottom lip.

"It's going to be uncomfortable in this position." Sai said.

"I don't care," Naruto whispered. "Just…" He didn't need to finish. Sai shuffled closer, bringing Naruto's body close as well. He braced Naruto's legs apart and settled in-between them. Naruto had his eyes shut tight, waiting for the coming pain. Sai shook his head and he tilted Naruto's head up. He kissed him, parting those lips once again. Naruto could feel himself melting by those demanding kisses of his. With his arms free, he draped his arms around Sai's shoulder, tangling his fingers in Sai's dark tresses. He was drowning again, his body shivering in sweet anticipation of more of those breathless kisses.

Without warning, Sai roughly entered Naruto's body.

A raspy scream tore from Naruto's mouth. He clenched Sai's back, his nails digging into the artist's flesh. Tears streamed down the corners of his eyes, resting his head back against the wall. He breathed deeply, trying to get his body to adjust to Sai's length. The pleasure he was feeling had completely fled, replaced by the refreshing wave of pain. He could feel Sai hesitate but he let his hands wander to Sai's face, cupping the artist's face. He blinked several times to clear his vision. He mouthed the words _'Don't stop'_ to him. Pain was nothing new to him. His blue eyes, no longer clouded with pleasure, held Sai's gaze. He wanted to let Sai know he was okay. He wanted Sai to be rough not because he preferred it that way. He needed the outlet. And rough sex was the only method Naruto knew. Sai nodded and he began to thrust into the blond.

"…nngh…" Naruto hissed in pain. It lanced up his body with every thrust, his fingers digging deeper into Sai's back. He bit his bottom lip so hard, he began to bleed. The frustration he felt, the horrible sensation that always muddle his being every time he dealt with Sasuke, flowed away with his tears. He grabbed Sai's face again and pulled him close, kissing him without reserve. The searing pain was slowly fading and when Sai started to stroke his erection, the pain began to mix with the pleasure. Their kisses were messy but they didn't care. The air around them was heating up, each kiss burning with a passion never felt before. Sai thrusts quickened and he knew he wasn't quite hitting that spot but Naruto was withering against him, moaning in-between every pause. The blond could feel that familiar pressure within him, rapidly growing. Sai's hand… they were _skilled_. His toes curled and his back arched, with sweat covering his body, he parted his lips, needing to say something.

"…_sai…_"

That was all he needed to say as his body finally unraveled. He moaned loudly as he came, the sticky fluid covering a bit of his stomach and over Sai's fingers. When Naruto's body clenched around Sai's member, that tight entrance that he had relentlessly thrust into, the artist lost complete control as he came as well. His breath came out as a ragged grunt, thrusting deeply one last time. Naruto had his hands covering his eyes, taking calm breaths in and out. He winced when the artist pulled out. Sai looked down, noticing blood mixed with his semen.

"Stop looking down there." Naruto mumbled between breaths, crossing his legs.

"You're bleeding." Sai said.

"I'll be fine," Naruto said. He slowly propped himself up properly against the wall. He winced as his full weight was settled on his rear. Naruto bit his bruised bottom lip as he grabbed the edge of the bedside table. He braced his legs and attempted to stand to his feet. But the strength in his legs gave out and he collapsed back to the floor. Sai held out his hand and it took Naruto only a second before he laid his tanned hand against the artist's pale skin. He pulled the blond up to his feet, keeping an arm around Naruto's waist to steady him.

"I need a shower." He said. Sai nodded and he helped guide Naruto to the bathroom. With Sai's help, Naruto turned on the showerhead. As he waited for the water to heat up, Naruto leaned against Sai, taking deep breaths. His backside was throbbing painfully.

"Naruto, why did you ask me to go rough on you?"

"I… I needed the pain, okay?" He said. Sai hummed in thought but he didn't say anything. Instead, he helped Naruto into the bathtub and sat down on the toilet as Naruto cleaned himself. For fifteen minutes, the only sound that echoed through the room was the sound of water hitting tiles and the occasional gasp of pain from the blond. The water died down and Naruto pushed the shower curtains away. He sighed and shook his wet bangs out of his eyes. Sai stared at the blonds' body. He could see a few bruises already forming on either side of his hips. Ignorant to Sai's visible examination of his body, Naruto stepped out of the tub. He had one foot out before he started to slip. Instead of trying to balance himself, he closed his eyes and reached for something. Sai reached out and grabbed Naruto's arm, stopping the blond from hitting the back of his head on hard tile.

"Thanks." He mumbled and he walked out of the bathroom. It seemed Naruto had no qualms about parading around naked in front of Sai. It wasn't that he did not care but he was tired and his body ached. Perhaps it would've been better if he'd been on the bed rather than pressed against the wall. He lazily climbed onto his bed face down, sighing gratefully as he burrowed his head against the cool pillow. Naruto shifted his gaze towards Sai who was standing near the bed. "You look like a creep." Naruto said.

"Is it okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's fine." Naruto replied. Sai climbed onto bed beside the blond. Naruto rested his head against his pillow and sighed contently once again. Sai glanced at Naruto and he laid down on his back. Naruto shifted over, staying on his side, his back to Sai. He stared at the wall opposite of him. He couldn't sleep. His bed wasn't meant for two people to sleep side by side. He turned around, facing Sai, and shuffled closer. Sai opened his eyes and glanced at Naruto. The blonde had his eyes hidden but he could see the flush of red on his cheeks.

"I'll sleep better like this." He said.

"Does this mean we're dating?" Sai asked.

"…I'll tell you in the morning." Naruto mumbled, drifting to sleep.

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><p>Warmth.<p>

There was warmth enveloping his body. From what felt like a distance, he could hear birds chirping but he kept his eyes closed. He didn't want to wake up and move away from the warmth. It's been so long since his body felt truly relaxed. He couldn't even recall when the last time he felt so deliciously warm inside and out. He knew who it was and where the warmth he was feeling coming from. He vaguely recalled it from his drunken one night stand with Sai months ago. Naruto was glad he actually remembered something that seemed insignificant from such a long time ago. He reluctantly opened his eyes then blinked. Sai's face was inches away from him. This close, he could see Sai's eyelashes. They seemed too long to belong to a guy.

"Your eyelashes are long." Naruto whispered to Sai's sleeping face.

"Thank you." Sai replied without opening his eyes. Naruto's heart nearly burst out his chest. He quickly scrambled away, the covers sliding down his body to pool on top of his lap as he clutched his chest. Unfortunately, his bed was tiny, and he fell off, covers and all following him. Naruto groaned, rubbing his rear as he grabbed the edge of the bed to pull himself back up.

"I thought you were sleeping!" He shouted at the artist.

"I was," Sai said as he calmly propped himself up. "But that was awhile ago."

Naruto shook his head as he looked away. "You're fucking creepy." He mumbled, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Do you realize what time it is?" Sai asked, ignoring that comment. It wouldn't be normal if Naruto wasn't calling him creepy at least twice a day. Naruto glanced at Sai, an eyebrow raised, and he looked around for the clock. His alarm clock read eleven in the morning. He groaned and flopped back down on his bed. So much for going to class; he wasn't even going to attempt to make it to class. He stared at his ceiling before he sat back up.

"Do you want to grab a bite to eat?" He asked.

"You're not going to class?" Sai asked. Naruto shook his head.

"It'll be a hassle. What about you?"

"It's a free day today. I'm supposed to spend the time working on a painting." Sai said.

"Damn art student." Naruto mumbled. Sai smiled pleasantly, which for some odd reason, irked Naruto. "You're paying for it."

"Is this a date?" Sai asked.

"Umm… well…"

"Do you remember last night?" Sai asked. Naruto stopped trying to talk as he nodded. Of course he remembered. He glanced down at himself. The bruises he had seen when he was examining his body in the shower around his hips were purplish. He poked a bruise and winced a little. Maybe they should've done it on the bed. Naruto shrugged and glanced towards Sai.

"Do you really want to date me?" Naruto asked. "I… I'm not sure if you want to. I mean, hell, I wouldn't date me with all that walking baggage I have."

"You mean Sasuke?" Sai said. Naruto nodded but he remained silent. "How long are you going to let him weigh you down?"

"Weigh me down? He's not…" He paused. That was obviously a lie. "I didn't expect him to be back and now that he's here it's thrown me completely off." He paused again as he scratched the back of his head. He shot a glance towards the artist then away. He didn't know what to do. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Did last night really happen?" He whispered, more to himself than Sai. But Sai replied anyways.

"It happened," he said. "Do you regret it?"

Naruto shook his head, "I don't… It's just…" The blond grumbled as he fell back on his bed. Sai shifted over and he firmly planted his hands by either side of Naruto's head. The blond blinked as he looked up at Sai. Naruto took a peek at Sai then quickly looked away. Sai was still staring at him, not saying a word. It wasn't uncomfortable, so to speak, but he felt like it would be rude to break the silence. He was hyperaware of Sai's hands and he could feel one of his artistic finger by his right ear.

"You're not looking at me." Sai whispered. Naruto's heart began to beat loudly. He swore he could feel it beating at the base of his throat rather than his chest where it should be. His cheeks redden as his brows furrowed together.

"Why the hell should I?" He asked, but the anger he tried to convey wasn't there. He was too focused on trying to tell his heart to calm down. Naruto was sure Sai could hear it.

"Naruto, I like you."

In the silent room, Sai's whisper echoed, his words repeating in Naruto's head. He shut his eyes as he failed to fight down the blush.

"You must be a masochist for liking me." Naruto said as he opened his eyes but he still didn't dare look at Sai.

"I must be." Sai said. Naruto shivered and he gulped.

"…are you sure?"

"I'm more than sure."

"You _are_ a masochist." Naruto uttered. He didn't have to look at Sai to feel the smirk on the artist face. "Do what you want." He could feel Sai's finger trace his jaw line. There was something incredibly intimate the way he simply let his fingers linger on his skin. There were butterflies in his stomach, for Christ sake! He honestly couldn't remember when he felt those butterflies, years perhaps.

"Didn't you say you were hungry?" Sai asked.

"Hell yeah!" Naruto yelled and he finally looked at Sai. "Get off me so I can get dressed. You're going to pay for it, okay." Sai obliged and moved away as Naruto sat up. The energetic blond rushed around his room, stark naked, as he searched for clothes.

"Let's go to Ichiraku's!" Naruto said, slipping on a black sleeveless top. He still needed to find boxers and shorts. It was amusing, to say the least, as Sai watched him.

"No." Sai quickly said.

"Why not? It's the best."

"I'll treat you to sushi instead." Naruto glanced over at Sai. He found boxers. Now all he needed was either pants or shorts.

"Then I'll pay for half." Naruto said. He checked his closet and rummaged through for pants. Sai decided that he should dress as well and grabbed his pants from the floor. Naruto shouted in victory as he found pants. He did a quick dance before he pulled them on. When he turned around, Sai was staring at him. Naruto grinned unabashedly as he scratched his head.

"Let's get food already." Naruto said. Sai nodded and he followed Naruto into the living room. Naruto quickly buzzed around the living for his wallet and cellphone while Sai waited. He could see the bite mark he left. It was a hard mark not to miss and it had grown purplish. Naruto walked over to his fridge and took out what seemed like his cell phone. The artist arched a brow.

"You keep your cell phone in the fridge?" Sai asked as he walked towards him.

"No," Naruto huffed. "I was angry so I just shoved it in there." Naruto flipped open his phone, looking through his missed messages. He walked around Sai and towards the front door. "You have a place in mind?" He asked, sitting down to pull his sneakers on. Sai walked up to Naruto and leaned down, poking the bruise on Naruto's neck. The blond flinched in pain. He covered his hand over it.

"I'm sorry about this." Sai said.

"It's fine." Naruto said. "I did ask for it after all but I'm keeping my word last night. Last night was the last and only time I'll ever ask you of that."

"I know," Sai said. Naruto's stomach growled loudly and his face quickly turned red.

"Should we get going?" Sai said, pleasantly smiling. Naruto's eyebrow twitched as he glared at Sai.

"Why do I feel like that smile is making fun of me?" Naruto said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sai said as he opened the door. Naruto growled as he followed after Sai, locking the door behind him. He walked beside Sai, questioning the artist as he tried to figure out what Sai was smiling about.

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><p>With the sun setting, creating streaks of orange, red, and dark purple across the horizon, Sasuke silently walked along the paved pathway of the park. The park was a shortcut to the cemetery. And it was the most scenic path to take considering where he was going. Somewhere along the edge of the park on his right, he could see the kids' playground. There were a couple of children running around, chasing each other with bright smiles on their faces. He looked away, concentrating on the sounds of his footsteps. But he could see himself on the same exact playground when he was younger, swinging rather solemnly by himself. A soft thud against his leg interrupted his train of thought. He looked down; a soccer ball was resting by his feet. He looked back at the playground and he could see a young blond boy running towards him.<p>

"Can I get the ball back, mister?" The boy asked, stopping a few feet away from him. Sasuke glanced back down and kicked the ball towards the boy then he walked away. The boy picked the soccer ball up and shouted, "Thank you, mister!" before he ran towards his friends again. As he neared the exit of the park that connected to the cemetery, he could see another vision of his past. He stopped, a few feet shy of the exit. Another blond boy was in front of him, one he knew all too well. The blond boy walked towards a smaller version of Sasuke, who was peering around the corner of the entrance to the cemetery. He grabbed the younger Sasuke's hand and smiled brightly. One of his front teeth was missing, from an accident with running into a metal pole.

_"Sasuke, ya scared?" _

_ "What're you talking about?" mumbled the 7 year old Sasuke. _

_ "You're not walking in." A 7 year old Naruto said. _

_ "I'm choosing not to, idiot." Sasuke replied. _

_ "I'm not an idiot!" Naruto yelled. He grabbed Sasuke's hand and dragged the boy through the entrance. Sasuke blinked and tugged his hand away, glaring at his friend. _

_ "How long are ya going to be scared of this place?" Naruto asked. Sasuke scowled and he looked away. He didn't want to go in. Naruto was right, he was scared but he would never verbally admit that. He looked up when he heard footsteps coming towards them. Sasuke looked up and the fear that was slowly building up in his chest quickly faded. Itachi walked towards the boys, a pleasant smile on his lips. _

_ "Brother!" Sasuke grinned and he walked towards his older brother. He was still wearing his work uniform. _

_ "So this is where you were." He said, crouching down. _

_ "He's a wimp!" Naruto yelled; both hands behind his head as he walked towards Sasuke. "He's not walking in."_

_ "I told you, I'm choosing NOT to!" Sasuke yelled back, pouting. _

_ "Are you trying to visit them by yourself?" Itachi asked. _

_ "Yep," answered Naruto before Sasuke could. "I offered to go with him but he keeps freezing up." Sasuke glared at Naruto but he didn't refute it. _

_ "Do you want me to come along?" Itachi asked. Sasuke furiously shook his head. _

_ "I can do this by myself!" Sasuke shouted. Itachi chuckled as he patted Sasuke's hair. _

_ "Then why are you still out here?" _

_ "…I don't know." Sasuke mumbled. Itachi nodded and stood up, grabbing his little brother's hand. _

_ "Let's go say hi," Itachi said. "Naruto, do you mind waiting here?" He asked the boy._

_ "No, I want him to come!" Sasuke quickly said. Naruto blinked, uncertainty in his eyes. He knew he shouldn't because his mind realized he was being invited to something personal. Naruto peered at Itachi, his eyes asking permission. _

_ "Let's go then, Naruto." Itachi said. Naruto nodded and he walked along side Sasuke. _

_ "Umm, since we're here, can we visit my parent's too?" He asked shyly. _

Sasuke couldn't hear to what his Itachi said. He blinked, the memories of his past vanished, and he realized the sun had already set. Sasuke stared at the entrance to the cemetery and he walked through, taking the path he memorized to Itachi's grave. His brother's grave was a few plots away from his parents'. He stopped in front of Itachi's marble gravestone. He kneeled down in front of the grave, placing his hand against the cold stone.

"Itachi…it doesn't hurt anymore." He said, blankly staring at the ground. "But Naruto has to be with me. I'm taking him back." He removed his hand, instead deciding to grip his forearms. He could hear thunder off in the distant. Sasuke started walking back to his place, taking the scenic route again. This time, as he passed through, he didn't see any more memories of his past.

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><p><strong>I really don't have any notes to mention for this chapter. Maybe it's because it's 2:20am. My brain isn't functioning well right not. And I gotta get to work in a few hours. At least I don't work in retail. People interaction is minimal when I work at the library.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, guys.**

**Sorry for the long hiatus. Things kind of got hectic. Not financially hectic but personally hectic. I had this chapter typed up before things got bad but never got a chance to upload. It's also a bit on the short side too. But, things are fine now, slightly less hectic but manageable.**

**I hope you enjoy the story.**

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><p>In the course of a week, Sai integrated his life with Naruto's which wasn't much different than the relationship they had before.<p>

Naruto still bickered at Sai and Sai still bluntly teased Naruto in his own subtle way. Kiba called them the bickering couple, always pointing out that Naruto seemed more like a bickering wife. It never failed to fluster the blond. There was only one change Naruto could be sure of. He was more aware of Sai. He couldn't explain it well, he couldn't even _think_ of ways to explain but the blond was always looking to his side whenever Sai wasn't near him. And, of course, being intimate was another noticeable change in their relationship. Although Sai was holding back on the sex, waiting for Naruto's body to fully heal.

Sai was also often in Naruto's apartment. Naruto had no complaints, especially since Sai always brought food with him.

The door bell rang, interrupting Naruto from his apartment cleaning. He had a duster in his hand; bandana tied around his head to keep his fringes away from his eyes. The windows were wide open, letting the cool breeze waft through his apartment. To top off the cleaning look, Naruto walked around his home shirtless but with an apron. It was warm outside so even with all the windows thrown open, the temperature in his apartment was slightly hotter. The doorbell rang again, more hurriedly.

"Alright, geez, I'll be right there." Naruto called out, setting the duster down at the counter as he walked towards the front door. He opened the door, mouth open ready to give Sai an earful. Sasuke, a causal smirk on his lips, stared back at him. Naruto's arm stiffened and he slammed the door in front of Sasuke's face, locking it.

"That wasn't nice." Sasuke's muffled voice said. Naruto growled, marching away from the door. Why did he have to appear at such an awful time? Naruto assumed it was Sai with food. He walked around the living room, grabbing his phone as he walked towards the window. He was about to send Sai a text when a harmless glance out the window stopped him. He could see Sai walking down the street with a bag of what Naruto could only guess was food. The blond scowled and he flicked open his phone, pressing the speed dial for Sai's number. Two rings later, Sai picked up.

"Naruto?"

"Don't come up." Naruto said. He walked to his bedroom, pulling off his bandana and the apron.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not really, I just… stay where you are. I'll be down soon." He closed the phone before Sai had a chance to reply. He found his red plaid vest and pulled it on, forgetting to wear an undershirt. He grabbed his wallet, stuffing it into his back pocket and went back to the living room. He glared at the front door. He couldn't hear Sasuke. Did he leave? Naruto cautiously walked towards the door and he pressed his ear against the door.

"…Sasuke?"

"I could hear you better if you opened the door." Sasuke replied. Naruto quickly pulled away as if the door was covered in hellfire.

"What do you want?"

"I came to see you."

"Well, you can stare at my door. That's the only thing of mine you'll be seeing."

"I only want to talk; face-to-face if possible."

Naruto snorted. Sasuke didn't want to talk. He wanted to torment.

"You're no longer in my life, Sasuke. Stop stalking me." He could hear the jingles of keys and he was confused.

When the doorknob moved, he backed away.

When the door started to open, he ran.

On instincts, he dashed towards the window in the kitchen, holding onto the pipe as he climbed towards the roof. He dashed across the roof, grabbing the fire escape ladder. He was always thankful of his godfather, Jiraiya, for teaching him parkour. With all the boundless energy he had when he was younger, Jiraiya had figured he might as well have done something productive with it. It was a handy skill he greatly appreciated. Especially at times like these, as he shuffled down the ladder down to the last rung. The ground wasn't too far off, about fifteen feet below him. He swung slightly for the momentum and released his grip. He landed on his feet, rolling forward then standing back up. He didn't look behind him as he rounded the corner, nearly bumping into Sai.

"Let's go, Sai." Naruto hurriedly said. He grabbed Sai's hand and began pulling him away from his apartment.

"What happened?" Sai asked.

"I never changed the lock to my door."

"Do you mean Sasuke?"

Naruto nodded. "Since I never expected he would be back, I never bothered changing it."

"You mean he's in your apartment?"

"Yeah but it's not a problem. He'll leave on his own. Enough about him," Naruto said dismissively. He didn't want to talk about Sasuke. "What did you bring?"

"Burgers," Sai replied. A wide grin spread on the blonds' face. He made to grab the bag when he realized he was still holding Sai's hand. He turned red and furrowed his brow together.

"You don't have to keep holding my hand."

"Shut up. I want to." He said. Sai smiled; completely used to how childishly cute Naruto could be for a twenty year old. He was sure Naruto would start a fit if he said that out loud and for a moment Sai was considering it. Teasing Naruto was one of his favorite pastimes. A gentle wind pushed behind them. Sai could feel a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He looked behind him, towards Naruto's apartment. He could see a figure standing at behind the window. No doubt it was Sasuke.

Sai couldn't resist. He smirked at Sasuke, raising their held hands for Sasuke to see. He was baiting the bull but he didn't care.

"Sai?"

"It's nothing. Let's go to my place if you have nowhere in mind." Sai offered.

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><p>Even with the door closed, Naruto could smell paint fumes waft from Sai's place. He wrinkled his nose as Sai opened the door. Sai's living room was huge. A TV was mounted on the wall and a single large black couch was in front it. To the left was the corner dedicated to the kitchen. There was a table near it and to his right was the short hallway that most likely led to Sai's bathroom and bedroom. There was no other furniture in his living room. Blank canvases lined up against the opposite side of the wall. There were also canvases already painted and finished, left exposed to dry on easels. The blond walked towards them, captivated by the various landscapes Sai had painted. The artist walked towards the windows and lifted them open to air the room out. Paint fumes were nothing to him. But he figured they would probably bother anyone else beside himself.<p>

"The room should start smelling less of paint soon." Sai said. He walked over to the kitchen, setting the bag down on the table.

"You painted all of these?" Naruto asked. He stood in front of one particular painting; it was the courtyard view of the university.

"No, my roommate did."

Naruto turned around, about to speak, when he saw the look on Sai's face. Sarcasm. He was being sarcastic. Naruto grumbled and turned back to gaze at another painting.

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated." He said, crossing his arms. He could hear Sai chuckle and heard the rustle of the fridge opening.

"Do you need anything to drink?"

"I'm fine," replied Naruto. "I actually lost my appetite." He walked away from the paintings and collapsed on Sai's couch.

"Sai, I think we-" He paused, feeling something cold pressed against his cheek. Sai had walked over, holding a can of iced tea for the blond.

"At least have something to drink." Naruto nodded and sat upright, taking the can. He thanked him and stared at the top of the can. Sai sat down beside Naruto and popped open the tab. "Why is Sasuke so obsessed with you?"

"You always go straight to the point, don't you." Naruto stated. He leaned back against the sofa, tilting his head back.

"Would you rather I beat around the bush?"

Naruto shook his head, "I've gotten used to it. I would actually be worried if you didn't get straight to the point." The blond set the can on the small coffee table in front of him. He braced his elbows on his legs, intertwining his fingers together and resting his chin on top of them.

"Our parents are dead. My parents spent a total of one month with me before they died in a car accident. Jiraiya, my godfather, raised me since then. Sasuke's parents died when he was seven. But he had Itachi, his older brother. We weren't friends at first but when his parents died, I noticed him. I kind of always noticed him, top grades, good at any sport, I envied and hated him. Despite that, we became inseparable." Sai remained silent, watching the expression on Naruto's profile. A smile graced his lips and he chuckled.

"We fought a lot actually over the silliest thing but not ever anything serious. We got along great though there was one fight that ended up nasty. You've seen him; he's not exactly the happiest person in the world. We were talking, about nothing really, when somehow the conversation veered towards our parents. We were twelve and Sasuke rarely talked about his parents. It went alright but I said one phrase and he exploded." Naruto paused and his brow furrowed together. He pulled his hand together, clenching them tightly. Sai remained quiet. He could see the internal struggle rage behind those blue eyes.

"I said, 'I understand' and he punched me. We fought. I didn't understand why he punched me and I was calling him a nutcase. I yelled at him that my parents were dead too. He pinned me down and yelled '_Your parents have been dead since you were born. You can't understand something you've never had'_." Naruto's voice cracked and he stopped. He leaned back, tilting his back against the sofa as he closed his eyes. "We didn't speak for months. When we did speak again, it was at Jiraiya's funeral. The man who raised me, the most important person who I considered my family, died. Then I understood what he meant."

A heavy silence settled between them. Naruto sat up straight, looking blankly at the coffee table in front of him. He tipped sideways and rested his head against Sai's shoulder. There was a slight pressure behind his eyes but he didn't cry. He couldn't. He already mourned Jiraiya's death years ago. It didn't mean he couldn't feel familiar pangs of loneliness. He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes.

"Sai."

"Yeah."

"Let's go to the cemetery."

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><p>Naruto took the bright route to the cemetery, taking Sai through the park. In his arms, he carried a bundle of freshly bought dozen sunflowers from the flower shop Ino helped managed. The sun had begun to set when they arrived at his parent's headstones. Sai stood back as Naruto kneeled. He brushed off fallen leaves as he set aside six sunflowers; three on his mothers' and three on his fathers' graves. He smiled and crossed his arms over his knees.<p>

"Why do you bring them sunflowers?" Sai asked.

"It brightens up their graves. When I used to visit them with Jiraiya, he always brought them sunflowers. Besides, you hardly see sunflowers in a cemetery, do you?" Naruto stood up and brushed his hands against his knees. "C'mon, these are for Jiraiya. He's further down ahead." When he didn't hear Sai's footsteps, he turned around. Sai was still staring at the graves of Naruto's parents. Curious, the blond trotted back towards Sai.

"Sai?"

"I promise to treat him well." He said to their graves. Naruto blinked, his face quickly turning red.

"Sai!"

"What?"

"… nothing." He pouted and walked away, eyes trained onto the ground to hide his flushed face. He could feel every heartbeat in his chest. Sai caught up to him, holding six sunflowers in his hands.

"You forgot these." Naruto blinked rapidly, looking every which way except for Sai's face. He muttered his thanks and took the flowers from him.

"My brother is buried here as well."

"Brother?" Naruto asked. He didn't know Sai had a brother.

"We weren't related by blood but he felt like a brother to me. In the orphanage, it made the place bearable. He encouraged me to draw more; was the only person who did."

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

Sai stared at the sunflowers atop the grave.

"He was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Naruto glanced down at his sunflowers and pulled apart three sunflowers of the remaining six and handed them to Sai. Sai looked down at the sunflowers, unsure what Naruto was doing.

"For your brother," He said with a gentle smile. "I'm sure he would like them." Sai smiled, taking the flowers from him.

"Thank you, Naruto."

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><p>It was well past midnight when he Sai left Naruto's apartment. Although Naruto had insisted Sasuke wouldn't have done anything ton his place, he wanted to reassure it with his own eyes. He was on his way home, staring up at the star filled sky. At least the stars were visible in the town. One of the good things about a town far removed from the major cities. Sure, it was a pain going to the city but they didn't have the natural view of the visible stars.<p>

"Oi."

Sai stopped, dark eyes focusing on the figure in front of him. Dark eyes matched his, entirely focused on the artist.

"Sasuke." Sai curtly greeted.

"So you're Naruto's new fuck toy."

"I think you mean boyfriend." He corrected, walking towards him. Sasuke watched him walk past, not giving him anymore attention. Sasuke smirked and followed behind him.

"You shouldn't fall for him," Sasuke warned. "He's not suited for you."

The artist ignored him, continuing his walk. He knew what Sasuke was trying to do. He wanted to rile Sai up, get under his skin. What Sasuke didn't know was that Sai was a tough person to rile up. It would take a lot to even get him annoyed. Sasuke was starting to realize that. He stopped talking, silently following the artist for a few minutes. Taunts weren't going to work on him.

"Say, why do you even like Naruto? You two are complete opposites."

"I have no obligation to tell you."

Sauske smirked, finally he answered. "Hmm, really? The more I look at you two, the more it just doesn't click."

"The same can be said of you."

"That actually hurt." Sasuke replied mockingly. He looked around the near empty streets. There were only a few people out, most of them probably coming from the center of town. He didn't see anyone he recognized.

"Naruto is still in love with me."

Sai stopped, not bothering to turn around. Sasuke grinned. That was a nice reaction.

"It'll be useless, trying to win him over. We have years of history together. You can't win over that."

"…"

"Enjoy him while you can and I'll take him back."

The tension between two was tangible. Sasuke tensed when Sai turned around. The artist faced him, his face as expressionless as ever. It pissed Sasuke off. He was hoping for some expression on his face. Something that showed he had craved a wound in the artist heart. The artist blinked, eyes trained on Naruto's former lover.

"I don't have to win him over." He said.

"Hah?"

"I don't have to resort to petty mind tricks like you." Without another word, he turned his head and continued his leisure walk back to his apartment. Sasuke stayed, not bothering to follow him. Anger swelled up inside him, hands clenched into tight fists. He knew when he was being looked down upon.

Sasuke turned away, heading back to the apartment he was staying at. The artist was wrong if he thought Sasuke would back down peacefully. He fished out his cellphone from from his pocket and checked the time. Now that he knew the artist had gone back to his place, Naruto would be all alone in the morning.

It was time they had a talk.


	6. Chapter 6

**Finals this week and next. I woke up sick today, the day I called out of work to study, only to get sick. Le sigh.**

**Well, here's the next chapter.**

**Enjoy~**

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><p>Naruto blinked, eyes squinted against the sunlight that lit the room.<p>

"Damn… mornings suck." Naruto yawned, stretching his arms above his head. He lay still on his back, waiting for that lethargic sleepy feeling to naturally fade away. He briefly debated if he should wear a t-shirt or not. He wasn't in any particular rush to dress. The orange boxers he wore were plenty enough. He didn't have any classes on Tuesdays so he could take his morning slow. With another yawn, he walked towards his kitchen, hand lazily scratching his stomach.

First, he'll make a cheese omelet, probably take a nap in front of the TV, he'll call Sai afterward so they could go out and…

"What's with the grin?"

Sasuke waved at him, comfortably from Naruto's couch.

The warmth seeped out of the blond's body as he stared at his former lover, sitting in his living room like it was only natural. Blue eyes glanced towards the front door, mind kicking him in the ass for not changing the locks when he should have. That was the only way Sasuke could've gotten in. He could feel his heart, his rapid beating heart and a sweat drop on his temple as he calculated how long it would take to get to the door. He promised Kakashi he wouldn't be alone with Sasuke. He wanted to hold onto that promise.

A snap of fingers caught his attention. He focused his eyes back on Sasuke, still rooted underneath the threshold of the hallway. Sasuke smirked and stood up. Naruto jerked back, rushing to the island counter to put _something_ between him and Sasuke.

"Get the hell out of my place." He growled, hands gripping the edge of the counter.

"Morning to you too, sunshine."

"If you don't leave, I'm going to call the cops."

A smirk graced his lips, "With this phone?" He held up Naruto's cell phone. That was his only way of communicating with people. Naruto didn't keep a land line. The blond swore under his breath. Sasuke pocketed the cellphone and kept dark eyes trained on the blond.

"I want to talk."

"And I want you the hell out of my home."

"I'll go as soon as you've listened to me."

Naruto exhaled slowly. He was going to have to listen. Sasuke wouldn't leave otherwise. He would listen then, one way or another, Sasuke was leaving his house.

"What is it, _your majesty_?"

A shit-eating smirk appeared on Sasuke's lips. The blond's eyes were hardened and set on him. It was a determined face but it didn't fool Sasuke. He could see the slight tremble in those arms. Naruto was putting up a front. It was… admirable.

"Stop dating that artist."

Sasuke watched as Naruto's determined face slipped. Confusion lanced through those bright eyes. Then anger and disgust. Or was it contempt? Sasuke couldn't tell anymore. Silence settled heavily between them.

"You're insane."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"Why should I?" Naruto yelled. "You can't come barging back into my life! Or tell me what to do!"

"Then why did you come to me when I called you that night?"

Naruto's mouth opened to argue but he closed it. Sasuke saw his chance. He continued.

"Admit it." Sasuke slowly walked towards the counter. "You still have feelings for me. Do you really think you can forget about us that easily? If you did, you wouldn't have come." Naruto was silent, eyes not meeting him. He couldn't. Sasuke would see right through him. He could hear Sasuke walk around the counter, foot padding along the tile floor.

"…get away." It was barely a whisper.

"You're only going to use him."

"No!" Naruto shouted, jumping back from Sasuke's reach. Sasuke kept after him until the blond's back hit the wall. Sasuke smirked, planting his hands firmly on the wall on either side of Naruto's head. Blue eyes narrowed, staring into dark listless eyes.

"I am _not_ using him."

"So you keep telling yourself," Sasuke coldy replied. "But what do you know about him? Tell me, what do you possibly know about him?"

"…better than you."

"Excuse me?"

"He's a hell of a better man than you!" He screamed, landing a solid headbutt against Sasuke's forehead. He recoiled, grasping his forehead in pain. Naruto scrambled away while Sasuke was gripping his head, eyes clutched in pain. Sasuke growled and ran after him, grabbing the back of his neck. Naruto kicked back, hoping his foot made contact with any part of Sasuke, preferably his balls. "Get the hell off me!"

"You definitely have more balls than before." Sasuke uttered viciously. He pushed Naruto to the floor, straddling his back. The blond struggled; bucking and writhing about in an attempt throw him off. The raven-haired ex-lover smirked, slamming Naruto's head down on the floor. Stars flashed before his eyes, every sign of struggling vanished as a groan escaped his lips. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arms and twisted them behind his back, keeping them in place.

"I only wanted to talk." Sasuke said.

"Drop dead."

A dry bark of a laugh escaped those lips. "But then you'll be lonely." He gripped a fist full of hair, forcibly turning Naruto's head to the side. This time it was Naruto's turn to let out a laugh. A blue eye was trained on him, fiery anger blazing behind them.

"Are you sure it's not you?"

Whatever color was in Sasuke's face quickly drained. He clenched his teeth, lifting Naruto's head up by his hair. He leaned over, painfully tilting Naruto's head back.

"I didn't quite catch that." There wasn't a hint of humor in his voice. It was void of anything that resembled the voice of a rational person. Naruto knew he was playing with fire way to close for comfort. But he didn't care. If he was going to get burned, he might as well leap into the heated flame head first. It wouldn't be the first time.

"I'm not the one afraid of loneliness."

The floor met up with his face, a gruntle yell rang above him. His face pulled back painfully and the floor once again smashed against his face. Naruto groaned, vision fading. When his head was pulled back a third time, he twisted his body. Sasuke released his arms to try to keep his balance. The blond heaved him off, scurrying to his feet. Blood dripped down his nose, staining his lips and floor. He was by the threshold of the hallway when something clear whizzed past his ear, smashing into tiny glass shards. Naruto froze; hair on the back of his neck raising.

Two photos lay amidst the shards. Sasuke had thrown a picture frame, the only picture frame that carried his most precious photos. One of them was of his father and mother, Minato and Kushina. Minato was staring down at his arms, a week old Naruto in his arms, fast asleep in the arms he never even remembered that held him. The look on Minato's face was peaceful; a gentle smile curving his lips. Even though it was a photograph, Naruto could always tell how much Minato had cared for him by looking at those joy-filled eyes. His mother wasn't looking at Naruto but at her husband, an arm draped over Minato's arm. It seemed like they were both cradling Naruto in their arms.

The photo of a lovely couple with their newborn son which Naruto cherished with all his heart lay amidst shattered glass.

The next photo was taken the same moment; Jiraiya had said it was taken before the first photo. The snapshot captured a moment that was otherwise lost to time. Kushina was holding Naruto in her outstretched arms, offering Minato to hold him. The look on Minato said he was far from ready. There was a mixture of uncertainty and pride. Like he wanted to hold his son but was afraid to at the same time. In this photo, Jiraiya was in the picture behind Minato, urging him forward with, no doubt, a teasing grin.

The pictures themselves weren't damaged. It was the frame that broke and even that wasn't much concern. He could buy a new one. What he couldn't forgive, what shook him with rage, was that Sasuke had thrown it. The one person who knew _exactly _how much those photos meant to him. It was the only photographs of his parents. The only one that served as proof that Naruto had a family; a mother and a father.

His arms shook, fist clenched, fingernails digging into the fleshy part of his palm. He slowly turned around, eyes leveled with Sasuke. The raven-haired ex stared back, eyes taunting him.

"Was that something _important_?"

White filled his vision. In a matter of seconds, Sasuke was in his face.

Or was he in Sasuke's face?

Fists pulled back and meet something solid. They pulled back again, rushing forward then pulling back once more. Red specks floated past him as he pulled back his fist a third time. Then pain exploded from his stomach, doubling him over. Another blow hit him; this time to the side of his face. He gagged as yet another blow was dealt to his stomach. From the corner of his vision, he could see Sasuke's leg pull back for another kick. He caught Sasuke's leg, gripping it tightly and threw him off balance.

With slight momentum back on his side, he continued to pound Sasuke's face. Bloodied fist met flesh again and it didn't matter that Sasuke was landing more blows on him. Sasuke wasn't holding back at all. Neither would Naruto.

Naruto gritted his teeth, baring the excruciating pain. He couldn't see out of his left eye but he could hear him, the mocking cynical laughter. He yelled and charged forward, dragging Sasuke down. His breath escaped his lungs, fists raining down at him. They weren't especially strong but Sasuke couldn't find a break.

"Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. MY. LIFE!" Each word was punctuated by a punch. "I'm sick and tired already." The punches slowly stopped; the last one more of a weak slap across Sasuke's face. He fisted Sasuke's shirt, arms trembling.

"…I hate you." Naruto whispered, doubled over on top of Sasuke. Sasuke lifted his bloody hand, running it through Naruto's soft blond locks.

"So I've been told." He said, consoling his lover. It was always like this, fighting then consoling. Or how it used to be before they took Sasuke away; it was all nostalgic to him. As they laid in the middle of the room, hands and faces bloodied, it felt longing to Sasuke, like he had come home. The blond was still shaking on top of him, hands never loosening their hold on Sasuke's shirt.

"Let's go back to how things were." Sasuke said, cupping Naruto's face. The fire behind those eyes had died down, leaving nothing but exhaustion. Sasuke wasn't even sure if Naruto was even _looking_ at him. Sure, they were staring down at him but they weren't exactly seeing him.

Good. It was always easy manipulating Naruto at his weakest.

"We only need each other. No one else can even come close. Not even that artist."

Naruto blinked. Sai. He couldn't get close to him. No matter how much time they spent, Sai couldn't come close to Sasuke. But Sai wasn't Sasuke. Sai was Sai. Naruto blinked again, light returning into his eyes. Sasuke's brow furrowed as he watched Naruto struggle to sit up.

"You're right." Naruto said. "He can't. Never will. Because I'm the one stopping him from getting close." He sighed, brushing the back of his palm across his mouth. "Because I still… still love you, as fucked up as that is."

"Stubborn idiot."

Sasuke grabbed Naruto wrist, dragging him back down. He palmed the blond's face, the blood on his fingertips smearing across his cheek. Naruto struggled half-assedly, tired. Sasuke raised a leg, pressing his knee in-between the blond's leg. A whine escaped him, his struggling growing insistent. Sasuke ignored that and kissed him. Annoyed, Naruto bit Sasuke's bottom lip, drawing blood and successfully stopped him. Although not without a price; his face sharply twisted to the left, Sasuke's hand leaving behind a red mark across his cheek. Sasuke stared at the blond.

He couldn't tell if Naruto had felt that slap. Naruto was struggling to get off of Sasuke, barely managing to keep his arms steady. His eyes were half-lidded, eyes unfocused and dazed. Naruto was barely conscious.

Perhaps Sasuke had punched him a few too many times against his head. Dark eyes raked over Naruto's body. Purple marks were starting to form over his stomach and sides. Sasuke's eyes softened as he gently rested his hand on Naruto's hips. Naruto's eyes flickered down but he didn't make a move towards him.

"What do you say? We'll leave together." Sasuke said. He grabbed Naruto's hand, causing the blond to fall back down on top of him. He groaned, pain lancing through his body. Naruto struggled once more, rising back to at least a sitting position. He pulled his hand away, swaying slightly, completely ignoring Sasuke's words. His hands traveled along Sasuke's stomach, resting at his pockets. He was going after his phone and Sasuke didn't stop him; he watched instead.

After a few minutes struggling, Naruto managed to pull his phone out. He flipped it open, fingers shakily dialing a number. Very easily, Sasuke took away his phone, curious to see who it was. The name steeled his eyes once more.

_The artist._

As an idea came into his mind, he smirked, lips curled up in a cruel way. He pushed the speaker button, the ringtone loudly ringing across the room. Naruto reached for his phone, Sasuke slapping his hand away with ease. He flipped the blond over, pinning his arms to his sides. Naruto struggled to free himself but became light-headed instead, the headache forming quickly becoming insistent. On the fourth ringtone, Sai picked up.

"Hello?"

"Good morning." He replied. There was a pause. Sai recognized that voice as Sasuke's.

"What're doing with Naruto's phone?" He asked, voice emotionless.

"Sasuke… Dammit…" Naruto grumbled, arms weakly attempting to free themselves. It was getting harder and harder to stay focused.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke smirked and he placed the phone down by Naruto's head. He released Naruto's arms then grabbed the blond by the throat, fingers digging into flesh. A strangled cry escaped his lips, hands clawing at Sasuke's hands, attempting to pull them off. His vision was fading, tuning in and out.

"Listen." Sasuke uttered.

With one hand still on Naruto's throat, Sasuke pulled out a switchblade from his back jean pocket. He flicked it open, holding the blade high so Naruto could see. In his haze, Naruto could see the knife glint. He immediately began to fight harder, kicking his legs and digging his nails into Sasuke's arms. Anything to free himself of what was coming next.

"Sasuke, no. Stop." Naruto begged, his voice frantic. Sai shouted louder but Naruto couldn't hear. The dangerous glint of the knife held all his attention.

With such slow and deliberate movement, Sasuke brought the knife down along Naruto's stomach, lightly running the tip against sun-kissed skin. Dark eyes completely void of emotions, Sasuke gently dragged the cold blade across Naruto's side. Naruto held still, breath caught in his throat. His eyes frantically searched Sasuke's, begging him to stop.

To not go any further. The blade wasn't cutting into him yet. Not deeply. Naruto could feel the cold steel glide mercilessly over his skin, dangerously teasing him. He held Sasuke's dark gaze, pleading with his eyes.

Words wouldn't form on his lips.

Sasuke sucked his teeth in annoyance, grabbing a fistful of blond tresses. Naruto held back a whine when his head was jerked forward.

"…that look is annoying me." A sudden jerk forward, head smashing the floor, and Naruto passed out underneath him. Sasuke tossed the blade away and picked up the phone. He could hear heavy breathing and the sound of car honks. Sai was rushing over to Naruto's place.

"…Come get him." He said, ending the phone call.

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><p>Voices floated above his head. Naruto groaned. His head was throbbing painfully and the voices were buzzing around his head. There was rustling and something warm enveloped his hand. A water drop landed on his hand. Water? Was he outside?<p>

"…ruto. Naruto."

His opened his eyes and blinding light assaulted him. He quickly closed his eyes. A hand was pressed against his cheek. He turned towards the warmth, trying again to open his eyes. His vision was filled with white light but with each blink, it focused. He stared up at a white ceiling, purely white. That wasn't his ceiling. Naruto took a deep breath and pain racked along his chest. He coughed, eyes closing again. It hurt to breathe. There was too much effort to simply open his eyes.

"…my eyes…I'm not opening them." His voice cracked, as if he hadn't used it in awhile.

Someone chuckled and he heard someone else sigh in relief. The hand on his cheek pulled back, going back to holding his hand. "Only you would say something that lazy." It was Sakura's voice. She was the one holding his hand. Who was the other person?

"…where…"

"The hospital." Sakura replied. "Sai found you a mess in your apartment."

"Hmm…" Had Sai really come? He could remember dialing Sai's number but then everything was a hazy blur before he had passed out. Or rather, when Sasuke slammed his head to the floor for what seemed like the fifth time. He sighed and found that it hurt. He attempted to lift his arm but it felt like lifting pounds of steel instead.

"…how bad am I?"

There was a shuffle and Sakura's hands left his. Warmer, much larger hands held his. Naruto furrowed his brow. Very cautiously, he opened his eyes. He blinked several times, waiting for his eyes to adjust.

"Iruka?"

"What the hell happened?" There wasn't much anger behind his voice. It was all buried underneath his concern.

"That bad?"

"Sai found you bruised and bleeding, Naruto. The doctor told me there was a slim chance of you falling into a coma but you were asleep for two days." Naruto sighed, chest aching again.

"Some of it… the blood, it wasn't mine."

"It was Sasuke's?" Iruka asked. Naruto slowly blinked and nodded.

"The asshole..." Naruto uttered. Every breath he took pained him. "And Sai?"

"He stepped out for a moment." answered Iruka. Naruto nodded again, expression slightly twisted in pain. Little movements were hurting him. Iruka patted the blond's hand. "I'm glad you're finally awake."

He offered Naruto his kindest smile, the blond returning the smile with his own. He gazed up at the stark white ceiling. Once again, he was in the hospital. The only difference was that his life wasn't in danger. He closed his eyes, recalling the kick to his stomach, the repeated hits to his head, that blade… Naruto immediately straightened up.

Bad move.

Pain shot up throughout his body, hands clutching his chest. Iruka stood up, worry crossing his face. Sakura stepped out, in search for the doctor. Iruka gently pushed the blond back down, pulling Naruto's arms away from his chest.

"Your ribs are bruised, Naruto. Fast movements like that is more harm than good."

"…stab wound?" He asked through gasps of breath.

"You have no stab wounds." Iruka reassured the blond. Why would he even ask that? Unless… unless Sasuke had brought a knife. What had happened between them? He glanced down at Naruto, whose eyes were closed as he breathed out the fading pain. He opened his eyes, locking them with Iruka's.

"Can you… apologize to Kakashi?" Naruto asked. "I really tried… to get away. But then, he… he said…"

"It's alright." Iruka said, silencing Naruto. "Just rest for now."

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><p>Naruto was released three days after he woke up. The doctors had examined him, making sure he didn't suffer any brain injury. Iruka hadn't relaxed until the diagnosis was complete, that Naruto hadn't suffered any lasting damage. His stomach hadn't gone away without a scratch. Purple and blue bruises marred his stomach and side. His ribs weren't broken or fractured but he was told any sort of movement that required stretching or bending would become troublesome. There was also a light scar near his navel, from Sasuke's blade. It would disappear on its own in a few days. His left eye was blackened but at least he could see out of it. With instructions to not exercise or over exert himself, he was released from the hospital.<p>

As he stepped out through the front door, he took in a deep, satisfying breath of fresh air. Beside him, Sai helped carry his bag. The blond turned towards the artist, a thankful smile on his lips.

"Do you want to stay over at my house?" Sai asked before the blond even had a chance to open his mouth.

"…huh?" He blinked. The sudden question threw Naruto off balance. He certainly wasn't expecting that.

"Or should I stay over at your place?"

"Sai… What're you talking about?"

"Sasuke will come after you again. I think it's best if you stayed over a friend's house. Or if you had someone stay over with you at your place. Either way, you can't be alone, especially not in the condition you are in."

"…I know," Naruto said, "But I figured Iruka would've been the one to talk to me about that."

"I talked to him first. We both had that concern."

"I'll stay over at your place then." Naruto said. Sai nodded, following after the recovering blond.

"I'm glad you came out okay." Sai said. The sight he had seen, it shook him to his core. Naruto appeared so lifeless, so pale and still. Completely different from how the blond usually was. The same way Shin had been on his death bed. Sai had stopped, eyes not focused on his current present. Naruto halted when he noticed Sai had fallen behind him. He walked back, standing in front of the artist.

He grabbed Sai's face between his hands, causing the artist to blink in surprise as stern blue eyes met his.

"You're not going to get all artist weird on me, are you?"

"Artist weird?" Sai repeated.

"All mope-y and 'woe's is me' and that kind of depressing crap."

Sai blinked again and he couldn't stop a laugh bubble from his lips. "You've been watching too many independent films, have you?"

Naruto laughed, a smile curving up his lips. "It was better than daytime TV." Sai nodded, one of his rare genuine smile gracing his lips. The blond blinked, quickly taking his chance to kiss him. All Sai did was raise an inquiring eyebrow as Naruto pulled back, his usual grin plastered on his face.

"It's so weird seeing you smile without it being smartass-y." He braced his arm around Sai's shoulder, wincing as he felt pain throb under the left side of his arm.

"Let's go before you hurt yourself." Sai said, continuing to walk again with Naruto in two, the blond happily chatting away as he usually did.

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><p>0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

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><p><strong>As always, comments and reviews are always welcomed.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**It's been awhile since the last update, huh. **

**'bout five months. **

**Whoops. **

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><p>0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

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><p>The night air was crisp, a slight wind blowing through the tombstones. Sasuke sat in front of his brother's grave, eyes never leaving the tombstone for the past thirty minutes. He couldn't feel the wind against his skin nor the sunflowers grasped in his hands. He sat in silence, mind reeling through so many memories of his brother; the only family he had. The only one he <em>used <em>to have. His hands clenched around the stalks. Sasuke breathe in, loosening his grip as he placed the bright flowers on his brothers' grave. He allowed his hand to linger on the tombstone before he pulled away.

"Your ass is gonna freeze if you stay there any longer."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he looked behind, the voice coming from a shadowed figured leaning against a nearby tree.

"And?"

The voice laughed and something about it never failed to annoy Sasuke.

"I thought you weren't going to follow me."

He could see the figure shrug. "Got bored."

"What do you want, Suigetsu?" Sasuke asked, standing. "I know you're not here to babysit."

"What the hell are you doing domestically beating your blond?" He asked, finally stepping away from the shadow of the tree. The moonlight highlighted his hair, bringing out the blue-tinge it held.

"Hmm, so that got around."

"Of course it got around. This isn't some city. It's not small either but, point is, shit like that gets around pretty quickly."

"I didn't think they would tell anyone beside Iruka and Kakashi." Sasuke said, more to himself than Suigetsu.

"Time at the ward must've deluded you a bit. Small town, gossip spreads."

"Alright, I get it. I'll be careful next time."

"If you say so." Suigetsu shrugged once more. "By the way, dinner is on you tonight."

"Do you want takeout again?"

He paused then wagged his finger at Sasuke. "Cook or I kick you out. The choice is yours." With those parting words, Suigetsu walked away. Sasuke let out a sigh and looked back at his brother's grave.

"I didn't mean to do that." He kneeled in front of the grave. "I almost had him back. But then he mentioned that artist and I couldn't keep calm." He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling the slight tremble that shook throughout them. Sasuke slowly stood, regulating his breathing until his nerves calmed down. As much as he didn't want to admit it to himself, the last six months in the hospital did teach him how to settle down. And it mostly worked when he wasn't too agitated.

He said goodbye to his brother and left the graveyard, deciding to walk the long way to Suigetsu's apartment. He would cook but Suigetsu would have to wait for it.

Sasuke took his time walking through the park, kicking a small rock along. It was eerily quiet as it should be. The night wind blew gently and shivers ran up his arms. Sasuke mentally berated himself for not bring his jacket. It was damn cold, even if it was near summer. He wandered aimlessly, cutting through the playground. His only companioning thoughts were memories. Over by the swings, Itachi would watch over him. Eyes scanned over to the play area, a blond child recklessly climbing to the top. And over by the slide, sitting alone was Naruto, thinking nothing of it but a trick his mind was playing until Naruto looked up.

Sasuke blinked and the memories faded but Naruto didn't. He was actually there, sitting on the slide, a look of surprised etched on his face.

"Wh-what're you doing here?"

Naruto blinked, fear flicking through his eyes. Sasuke stood still, caught off guard. He quickly recovered and grinned but he didn't move towards him. He watched like a hawk.

"It's a nice night for a walk, isn't it." He said.

The phone in Naruto's hand beeped, calling his attention. He quickly glanced down, hands flying over the cell's keyboard before he shoved it in his pocket.

"Sai is nearby."

"I didn't ask." Sasuke replied. "But why don't you come with me for a walk."

"I'm fine sitting here."

Sasuke stayed silent. Naruto was tense. He was ready to run. Sasuke couldn't blame him. Two weeks had passed since he placed Naruto in the hospital. Naruto wouldn't easily forget. He stood still, very still, and to Sasuke's surprise, Naruto stood up and began walking towards him. Sasuke stayed where he was until Naruto stopped, much closer than before. He could clearly see those familiar blue eyes. They looked tired, and sad.

"What exactly do you want?" He asked. "You know we can't go back to the way things were. So why?"

"What do you mean why? We belong together."

"That's not a good enough reason. 'We belong together'?" A dry laugh escaped the blond's lips. "You just want to dominate me. That's all."

Sasuke smirked. "Your point?"

"That's not what I wanted."

This time Sasuke laughed. He walked towards Naruto and around him, sitting down on the end of the slide. "That's absolutely priceless. _Not what you wanted_? I'm everything you wanted. You're not an idiot. Oblivious, of course, but you have an amazing sense of perceiving people even if you're not aware of it at first. I'm sure you knew."

Naruto stared at the empty spot Sasuke previously stood at. He couldn't deny those words. He did know. But he was younger when he noticed it. He just thought it as Sasuke being a stubborn ass. Naruto hadn't thought of it much. And it never really became apparent when they began dating. It wasn't until Itachi died that Sasuke had begun to change. He turned then backed away.

Sasuke was right in front of him, not even an arm's length away. Naruto's heart leaped but he firmly planted his feet to the ground. He wasn't going to back down.

"I guess that means I severely misjudged you."

"Hmph. I doubt that. Then why did you stick around? You could've left before things got worse. I wouldn't have stopped you. Why not tell me the reason? Enlighten me."

Naruto hands clenched into fists. He looked away from those dark eyes that saw right through him. Sasuke already knew the reason. He wanted to hear it, for his sadistic ego.

Naruto bit his tongue then steeled himself as he directly glared back at Sasuke.

"I loved you."

A Cheshire grin shaped Sasuke's lips. A cloud overheard obscured the moonlight and all Naruto could see was that smile and the abysmal gaze in his eyes.

"And that is-"

"Loved as in past tense." Naruto cut Sasuke off. "In the past. I loved you. To be completely honest, I still do. At least some part of me still does."

"And now you don't." The humor in Sasuke's voice was completely gone. He sighed, shaking his head slightly as if Naruto didn't know what he was saying. "Is that it? You're wrong."

"You're saying my opinion is wrong?"

"Of course it is. Spending time with that artist is making you run away from the truth."

"Ha." Naruto grasped his arms, shoulders shaking. His whole body shook, silently, until a dry laugh escaped him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was too much. He laughed, he couldn't stop. Wasn't it Sasuke who was running from the truth? All this time talking and Sasuke himself seemed to be evading the most important fact. The moment was too precious.

"Tell me something, Sasuke." He settled down and stared at him. "Putting aside your sadism, do you honestly want me back?"

Sasuke paused. "Of course. You belong to me. And I'm not going to idly sit back while that pathetic excuse of an artist-"

He didn't see the fist flying at him. It connected with his face and the ground rushed up to meet him. A flash of white blazed across his vision. Hands clenched the collar of his shirt and Naruto was on top of him.

"Insult me all you want. I'm used to it; I just don't give a damn. But I'm not going to listen to you prattle on about Sai when you know _nothing_ about him."

"I see you must've gotten closer with him." The right side of his face throbbed. That was one hell of a punch. He stared into those blue eyes that now despised him. Naruto had his knees pinned against Sasuke's arms, keeping them on the ground. He couldn't reach up and cup the side of his blond's face.

"How can you go on?" Sasuke asked, the guard he usually held together so well finally dropped.

Naruto didn't need to know anything else. He already knew what Sasuke was asking.

"It's hard to miss what I never truly had." He whispered. They used to have this conversation so many times. When Sasuke used to wake up in a cold sweat, from the nightmares that haunted him, he would always ask. Without fail. Naruto closed his eyes and loosened his grip on the shirt. He knew what the next question was but he waited until Sasuke asked.

"And Jiraiya?"

A dull pang stabbed his heart. That particular question, no matter how many times he heard it, hurt the most. Still, he braced himself, because Sasuke needed to hear.

"He wouldn't want me clinging to his past. Jiraiya would have wanted me to move on. Like you need to do."

Sasuke eyes flickered away for a moment before they returned to focus back on Naruto. He seemed to struggle, finding the words that he needed to say. When he moved his lips to speak, Naruto's hand gently pressed down against his mouth, silencing him.

"Don't say it. Because I already know and you're gonna sound like an idiot."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched and his eyes spoke all. Naruto smiled, a soft chuckle escaping him, as he pulled his hands back. It felt like old times the way they were speaking.

"But you're remembering the past right now."

A humorless smile graced his lips. "Because when I do, I'm not clinging to it. I'm not trying to live in the past."

"And I am?"

"You are." Naruto said. "You need to let it go."

Sasuke shook his head. "That isn't possible."

Naruto sighed. "Damn pig-head." He slowly stood, stepping away from Sasuke. He watched Sasuke straighten up, rubbing the throbbing side of his face as he stood. Sasuke shifted over and a chill ran down Naruto's spine. He didn't want to look at him, but as he slowly let his eyes meet Sasuke's once more, the familiar warmth that had seeped into those dark orbs was gone. The smirk that used to be teasing now seemed cruel again. Naruto backed away.

The Sasuke he knew was gone again.

"I didn't want to do this, Naruto, but I don't have a choice now."

Naruto slowly shook his head. "What're you talking about? You always have a choice."

Sasuke shook his head. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small flash drive. The blond squinted, barely making out the shape of it.

"What is that?"

"Blackmail material."

"Blackmail?"

Sasuke nodded. "I only came back to this town to come get you. I said so, didn't I? Before they took me away. I'll even give you a grace period, two days, to get everything ready. After those days are up, I'll make sure you'll want to leave this place."

"I don't understand-"

Sasuke grinned. "Every sadist needs a masochist."

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><p>0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

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><p>Sai was worried.<p>

The text he received from Naruto had been the source of the worry. All it said was to go on home without him. He tried calling but Naruto hadn't picked up. He had a prickly sensation that whatever happened had to do with Sasuke. He was sure.

And he wasn't wrong when he unlocked the door to his apartment, spotting Naruto sitting by the counter. Sai placed the bags of food by the door, from Naruto's earlier insisting that his fridge should be used for actual food.

"Naruto?"

Sai approached him, unsure what to expect.

"He's not going to leave me alone."

"What happened?"

"I have no idea what to do. He's not going to leave me alone." There was something frantic in his voice; like he was close to hysteria. Whatever Naruto was trying to hold back was getting to him. Naruto picked his head up from the counter. He looked bad. Sai could see the color of Naruto's face was drained. Sai grabbed Naruto's shoulder, making the blonde look at him.

"What happened?" He asked again, punctuating every word.

"He has… an advantage over me."

"I still don't-"

"And it's better that way!" Naruto yelled, backing away from Sai. He took several steps back, wanting to put some distance between him and Sai. "Don't get involved with me anymore."

The atmosphere between the two became tense and awkward. Sai stared at Naruto, carefully expressionless.

"I think I should head over to Iruka's place," Naruto said.

"What happened with Sasuke?" Sai asked. Naruto visibly flinched and he didn't meet Sai's questioning eyes.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"You're a terrible liar." Sai said. A bitter smile shaped Naruto's lips.

"I know." He said and with that he looked utterly exhausted. He walked back into the living room and sat down, heading resting back. "Y'know, you can still go and date someone else. Someone without a psychotic ex of an boyfriend. Normal."

He heard the door close and the sounds of bags being placed on the counter. Sai wandered over to Naruto and sat beside him.

"I think we had this conversation once." He said.

Naruto chuckled, "Maybe a month ago? Although it feels like its been years."

"And I'll tell you tomorrow." Naruto added, turning his head to look at Sai. He smiled, albeit it was a bit weary, the warmth was still there. "I'd rather face my demons in the morning."

"I take it you won't go to Iruka's then?"

Naruto shook his head. "But I do need to talk to him." He stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "We should-"

"It's incredible hard waking you up in the morning." Sai trapped Naruto, arms wrapped around the blond's waist, his face gently pressed against his stomach.

"Hah?"

"Sometimes you snore. It's strange how you pick stuff off the floor with your feet. You almost have no tact but I've been told repeatedly by you that I have none myself. It's shocking how you know your way around the kitchen. Even more so that you can actually clean. And-"

Naruto grabbed the sides of Sai's head, making him look up. "And what exactly are you doing pointing out my flaws?"

"Whatever your demons may be, it doesn't deter from the fact I love you."

Naruto blinked, something akin to relief and disbelief washing over him. He looked down at Sai, his dark eyes confirming the truth in his words. He could feel his face heat up and he wanted to look away but couldn't.

"I'm speechless." He said because he was. He couldn't think of anything to say. What could he say without sounding like a girl given the most extraordinary gift?

"Is it making you fall in love with me?"

And he completely lost it, laughing like he hadn't in what felt like a long time. He kneeled in front of Sai, body still shaking as he tried to reel himself in. Sai smiled, his hands running through Naruto's hair. He liked Naruto better when he wasn't weighed down by such heavy thoughts, most of them probably brought on by Sasuke.

"And you won't change your mind at all about loving someone without the drama?"

"No."

"And my snoring?"

"I can buy ear plugs." Sai replied. The blond chuckled, a light floating feeling spreading throughout his body. Naruto rested his head against Sai's thigh. He found himself wishing he wasn't so tired. So that he could stay up for much longer and talk but as it was he was finding it hard to keep his eyes open. Nonetheless he stood up. The bed was a much softer place to sleep on. Sai stood as well, following behind the blond.

"I guess you'll have to put up with the snoring tonight." Naruto said, making his way to Sai's bedroom.

"And all the other nights."

Naruto look back at him. "Don't you dare say another word or else I'd have to have my way with you."

"So you are falling in love with me." Sai stated. Naruto didn't bother to answer as he threw himself on the bed. Without waiting for Sai, he grabbed the covers and pulled them completely over his body, hiding his face against the pillow.

"Good. Night."

His response was a gentle pat on the top of his head.

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><p><strong>This chapter is short. Very short.<strong>

**I know how this is going to end. But I lost the general outline I did for this thing and so I've had trouble getting to how it's going end. This did not account for the massive hiatus. Things just got busy. **

**But I'm back and I'll be going to my usual new chapter per 2 weeks, give or take a few days. It's not set in stone, when I'll actually update, but the two weeks is more of a guideline than a deadline for me. So I can keep on track. It worked with previous mulit-chapter fics I've done so why change my pace now. **

**Anywho, thanks to those who have waited and not threaten to shoot me down. **


	8. Chapter 8

**0o0o0o0o0o**

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><p>When dawn rolled around, the sky slowly shifting from a dark blue to a lighter blue, Sai slowly began to wake up. He yawned, hand running through bed hair as he looked beside him.<p>

Naruto was still asleep, and Sai was sure nothing would wake him up for now. He brushed the blond's bangs away from his eyes, Naruto stirring once. Sai carefully slipped out of bed and walked to the living room, making sure he closed the door to the room.

He worked around the living room, pushing aside his couch and the coffee table. He set up his easel in the middle of the room, spreading the tarp beneath it, and grabbed his brushes and tubes of paint and a blank canvas. Glancing back at the window, he grabbed a tube of cadmium yellow paint and with no hesitation, squirted the paint on the canvas.

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><p><strong>0o0o0o0o0o0<strong>

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><p>He wasn't sure when, Sai remembered the sound of the bedroom door opening, but when the artist smelled food overwhelming the smell of paint, he knew that Naruto was awake. A glass of water miraculously appeared by his side, but aside from noticing Naruto getting comfortable on the couch; he was kept on the painting.<p>

With not much else to do, Naruto watched Sai. The artist was completely focused. Naruto almost wanted to break his concentration or at least shuffle his attention away. But he couldn't.

He'd never seen Sai paint before. With pale hands covered in splotches of blue paint, some on his cheeks, he appeared calm. Sai always appeared calm, sometimes close to near expressionless, but not when he had the brush in his hand. The corner of his lips were slightly curved, just a tiny indication of a smile.

"You don't have to be quiet on my account." Sai said, eyes still focused on his painting.

"You look like you need to concentrate."

Sai shook his head, "I'm actually surprised you can stay quiet for so long."

"You _certainly_ don't look surprised, bastard." Naruto mumbled, sitting upright on the couch.

Sai glanced towards Naruto, the blond pouty and arm crossed, then returned back to his canvas.

"Don't worry, I'm surprised."

Naruto grumbled some more then stood up, walking towards Sai and sat beside him.

"Then you won't mind if I sit here."

"Be my guest," Said replied.

Sitting cross-legged, Naruto stared at the canvas.

It was the sun. He was staring at the sun. The clouds were off to the side, and the sun itself wasn't at the center, more to the upper right corner of the canvas, and the blue was everywhere. Surrounding the sun, peeking through the thin clouds; it was almost as if he was staring up at the sky.

"Is this for a final?"

"Maybe." Sai replied.

"Maybe?"

"Maybe." He asserted.

Naruto stared at the artist for a moment. "The hell is that suppose to mean?!"

"Exactly what it means." Sai replied calmly. Naruto blinked, unsure what to make of it until he started laughing. Sai's hand stopped, staring down at the blond next to him. Naruto rested his head on Sai's thigh, wiping a stray tear that managed to slip by.

"You have a gift, Sai," Naruto said, his laughter subsiding to chuckles. "And it's not your art skill."

"I have a feeling that's not a compliment."

"It is."

Sai looked beside him, spotting his open bucket of blue paint. He dipped his fingers in it, coating his entire hand.

"How about a better compliment?" Sai asked.

Naruto shook his head. Sai smirked as he firmly planted his blue hand against the back of Naruto's neck. He could feel the goose bumps rise on Naruto's neck and he slowly pulled away, the paint dripping down his back. He turned around but the smirk was gone and Sai was innocently painting again, as if he hadn't done anything.

Naruto grinned, his hand running along the floor beside him until he felt a bucket of paint.

"All's fair, right?"

"Yeah."

He quickly dipped his fingers and flicked his hand forward, splashes of yellow landing on Sai. He scrambled away but not before Sai grabbed the back of his shirt. The blond yelped as he felt a glob of paint sluggishly roll down his back.

Naruto looked around for ammunition. He quickly spotted the bucket of blue paint, managed to wet his yellow-stained hand, but a heavy weight settled on his back, pinning him to the floor. He managed to turn himself over and brushed his hand against Sai's face, a path of blue coating the lower part of his face.

"Y'know, I think I might have a thing for painting."

"I wouldn't count on it."

Naruto grumbled. "Don't hold back on my account."

"I won't." Sai replied and before Naruto could retort, the artist leaned down and kissed him. Naruto grinned into the kiss, kissing the artist back. He pulled at Sai's shirt, wanting it off the artist. Sai straightened up, complying.

The shirt was over his head when he felt Naruto shift underneath him, his body inching back as Naruto sat upright, and two, very wet and colorful hands, firmly planted against his back. Sai couldn't see the grin but he felt it and when he completely pulled off his shirt, there it was.

That careless grin that Sai hadn't seen for a long while.

"Guess the color."

"Yellow?"

"Green!"

Naruto tipped the bucket over, yellow pouring over Sai's head, and splashing down on Naruto as well. He mixed his blue-tinted hands with the yellow, streaking green down Sai's face.

"This is going to be a pain to clean up." Naruto said with a grin.

"I don't think so." Sai replied.

"Really?"

Sai nodded. "But this will." With that, he grabbed the bucket of white paint and poured it over Naruto's head. They were covered in paint. From head to chest, colors of white, yellow, blue, and green stained their skin and shirts. Naruto brushed back Sai's hair, wiping off excess paint.

"Does it matter when we clean this up?"

Sai shook his head. "Most of the paint landed on the tarp. It won't be bad."

Naruto grinned. "Alright."

He brushed back his hair and leaned closer, kissing him. Sai's hand grabbed Naruto's shirt, pulling it over his head. Naruto's chest was relatively paint free; not for long as Sai ran his painted hands along the blond's skin.

"Is this okay?"

"Don't you dare ruin the mood." Naruto growled, pushing Sai back. He leaned over the artist, straddling his stomach when he heard a knock on the door. Naruto sucked his teeth in annoyance, ready to ignore it when they knocked again.

"We should get that."

"We'll continue this later?"

"We will." Sai answered.

"No matter what?" Naruto needed the reassurance.

"No matter what I learn, we'll continue." Sai said, recalling their conversation from last night. Naruto nodded, smiling a bit as he stood. He helped Sai up then went to answer the door.

"Iruka?" He said as he opened the door.

His former guardian rushed forward and embraced him. Naruto blinked, unsure what was going on. Iruka pulled back, examining him from head to toe, talking a mile a minute with not one word getting through to Naruto.

"Iruka, what is going on?"

"You haven't seen Sasuke have you?" He asked. Naruto almost wanted to lie but he didn't.

"Last night but… we only talked." Taking a closer look at Iruka, he could see that the older man was paler than usual. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

"Sasuke left us something last night." Kakashi said, walking into the apartment and closing the door behind him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flash drive.

All the color in Naruto's face drained. He backed away, averting eye contact with Iruka and Kakashi. He couldn't breathe, his chest ached; he didn't want to be in the same room. Did Sasuke lie to him? What the hell did he mean by giving him a grace period if he was going to send it anyway!?

Naruto wanted to hide. Fall in a ditch or get sucked into a black hole. Anything to disappear from the room he was standing in. He gripped his arms, eyes stuck on the ground. Slowly, so slowly, he lifted his gaze, meeting Iruka's warm and concerned eyes.

"Iruka…" He faltered, the words dying on the tip of his tongue. "I… I'm sorry…"

Iruka rushed to him, embracing him once again. Sai walked over to Kakashi, eyeing the flash drive.

"What did Sasuke send?" He asked.

"Pictures of Naruto in…" Kakashi voice trailed off, eyes glancing towards Iruka and Naruto. "They weren't flattering."

"They were pictures of me bound and naked. And probably more." Naruto said. He was sitting on the couch, Iruka beside him, and he looked so tired. Any trace of the smile that he'd seen minutes before completely vanished.

"I didn't want you to know, Iruka." His voice sounded small, helpless.

"Was it always…"

Naruto shook his head, eyes never leaving the floor. "It was during our last few months together. He kept asking. And asking. _And asking._ And it wasn't so bad at first but he wanted more." He gripped his hands together, his left leg nervously bouncing up and down. "He'd said he destroyed all the photos."

"We're taking this to the police." Kakashi said.

That made Naruto hold his head up. "No! Don't... Don't get the police involved."

"We can't leave this the way it is." Iruka said. "If he's threatening you then the police have to be contacted."

Naruto stubbornly shook his head. "I don't want the police involved. It'll make things worse. _He'll_ make things worse if they're involved."

Naruto sighed. He felt drained. And the morning had started out so peaceful too.

"I'll handle this. " He said, looking Iruka square in the eyes. "Just… let me handle it, please?"

Iruka sighed, scratching his head. He didn't want to but Naruto looked determined. Tired, but determined. Kakashi walked over to his partner and placed his hand on his shoulder. With the barest of nod from him, Iruka finally agreed to Naruto's request.

"Alright. But if anything happens, promise to contact me. Anything at all, understand?"

Naruto nodded. "I will. Promise."

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><p><strong>0o0o0o0o0o0o<strong>

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><p>When Iruka and Kakashi left, Naruto wordlessly walked back to Sai's room, carelessly flopping face-down on the artist's bed. The flash drive was clenched tightly in his hand. He knew Sasuke was trying to rile him up. He knew that man's tactics well. And it worked. Naruto groaned and tried to clear his mind.<p>

Sai walked in and sat beside Naruto. Without saying a word, he ran his pale fingers through Naruto's soft hair. For a while, they stayed like that. Neither felt like they had to say anything and it was perfectly fine. The silence was comfortable.

Naruto sighed and rolled over to his back and he stared at the ceiling.

"Y'know, you can still walk away from this relationship." Naruto said, mildly absentmindedly.

The comfortable silence was gone.

"Are you trying to make fun of me?" Sai's tone of voice felt off. Naruto looked over at Sai, and, for the first time in awhile, Naruto couldn't tell what Sai was thinking.

"Huh?"

"I already said I would stay by you no matter what."

Naruto couldn't find the words. Was Sai…

"I didn't… I mean I wasn't… Are you upset?"

"I am." Sai said.

That baffled Naruto. He straightened up and stared at Sai. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just… don't want you involved with Sasuke. He's my problem."

"He doesn't have to be." Sai said.

That last comment made Naruto stutter. Sai couldn't understand.

He wasn't the one who grew up with Sasuke. Seen how he used to be; before whatever demons he had locked away were released. Sasuke was always a sort of dick but not like he was now; a pure sadist. Sai couldn't possibly understand how dangerous Sai was to everyone. Or how Sasuke was exactly his problem to deal with.

"Sai, he's…"

"Maybe you have the same obsession towards Sasuke as he does to you." Sai said, unwavering eyes set on Naruto's blue ones'. He couldn't even think of a rebuttal. Or rather one didn't come to him. Naruto looked away first, staring down at the crumpled bed sheets.

"I am not…" Naruto couldn't even finish the sentence.

"…I'm going home." Naruto said. He couldn't stand the silence.

"Naruto."

"It's fine!" He shouted, jumping off the bed. He grabbed his clothes, hurriedly pulling on his pants while simultaneously walking out the room. Sai got up and followed.

"Naruto." Sai repeated.

"Maybe I am!" Naruto shouted, whipping around to face the artist. "Sasuke is… Despite everything, Sasuke is important to me. Always. Since we were little. And it hurts to see him act like a total fucking monster!" He paused, staring at the floor. "So maybe I am."

He stared at Sai and once again couldn't read the expression on Sai's face. "I won't be coming back."

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><p>Naruto arrived at his apartment, tossing the shirt he carried in his arms by the entrance floor. He had gotten stares on his way home, which wasn't at all unusual considering his entire face and torso, was covered in paint. He had left Sai's apartment in a rush to even stop and pull it on.<p>

He walked to the living room and sat down on the sofa. He looked down at his hand, the flash drive still clenched around his fingers.

"I fucked up." He said to himself, resting back on the couch.

"On what?"

Naruto's heart almost burst out his chest as he quickly stood, knee banging against the corner of the coffee table. He swore, sitting right back down as he gripped his throbbing knee. Sasuke laughed from his very comfortable spot on the kitchen counter.

"When- I mean how…" Naruto gave up trying to explain Sasuke's appearance. "Y'know what, I don't care. Since you obviously know where the door is, kindly see your way out."

"I couldn't possibly leave an injured person alone."

Naruto turned and glared at him. Sasuke hopped off the counter and walked towards the blond, sitting on the table in front of him.

"You're covered in paint. What were you doing with that artist?"

With no warning, Naruto lunged towards Sasuke. He grabbed Sasuke by the collar of his shirt, the two of them toppling over the table and to the floor. Naruto gripped him tighter, landing on top of Sasuke. Before Sasuke could react, Naruto pulled his fist back and punched him square on the nose.

"WHY DID YOU SEND THAT TO IRUKA!?"

Stars danced in front of Sasuke's eyes. He groaned, his eyes flitting open in time to see Naruto pull his fist back for a second punch. He quickly grabbed Naruto's hand and held him back.

"I meant to send him a greeting card." Sasuke replied.

Naruto gripped Sasuke's shirt collar even tighter, nails biting into his own palm.

"You lying bastard…"

His fist shook and he was ready to rip Sasuke a new one but he couldn't. He was tired. Honestly tired of all of Sasuke's games. He dropped the fist Sasuke was holding back.

"Your nose is bleeding." Naruto sighed. He grabbed the bottom of Sasuke's shirt and pulled it up to his face and pressed it against Sasuke's nose. He stood up and walked off towards the bathroom.

Sasuke laid on the floor, head tilted back and nose covered until the bleeding stopped. From the bathroom, he could hear the shower running. Sasuke slowly straightened up, waiting for his head to stop spinning. He made his way to the bathroom once he regained his sense of balance, steam coming out the door as he opened it.

He closed the lid on the toilet and sat down. Sasuke didn't say anything, still holding his shirt against his nose.

"Why are you still here?" Naruto said from behind the shower curtains.

"Keeping you company."

"You're the absolute last company I want." He replied. Sasuke chuckled.

"Why are you still in this town?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto started down at his feet, the paint from his body swirling down the drain. He grabbed the knob in front of him, turning the water hotter.

"I have a home here."

"Your parents and Jiraiya are dead." Sasuke said.

"I hadn't noticed." Naruto deadpanned. He ran his hands through his hair, scrubbing the shampoo thoroughly. "Neither do you."

"I'm well aware." Sasuke said, standing up. Naruto tensed, backing away from the shower curtain but instead he heard Sasuke walk away. Curious, he peaked around the corner of the plastic curtain. Sasuke was removing his shirt and using it to clean his nose. It was already bloodied; he saw no reason to keep it on.

"I'm only here because of you." Sasuke said.

Naruto couldn't help but scoff and he went back to the shower. "Have you forgotten all the times you've abused me?"

"That was once." Sasuke replied.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "Once was enough." Sasuke remained silent. "So I guess everyone won that day."

"That was a mistake."

Naruto didn't say anything. He continued his shower, getting the rest of the paint off his body. He could hear Sasuke run the water at the sink and for a while, neither said a word to each other. Naruto let hot water pelt his body for as long as he could. He couldn't hear Sasuke leave and he knew he wouldn't.

Naruto stared at the tiled bathroom wall in front of him, eyes listless. He took a few calming breathes. If anything, he had to at least appear to be composed, even if it was futile.

Naruto turned off the water and stepped out the shower; eyes meeting Sasuke's. Dark eyes examined his naked body from head to toe. Sasuke couldn't see them; the scars had all faded, but he knew where they used to be. Naruto disregarded his stare and walked off, heading to his bedroom when Sasuke held him back by his wrist. Naruto didn't struggle to break his hand free.

"What are you going to do?" He said, never letting his eyes shift away from Sasuke's.

"Angry sex."

Naruto blinked, completely taken aback. Sasuke looked completely serious too.

Naruto trembled, shoulders hunched as he laughed. Sasuke still gripping his hand, Naruto bellowed out the loudest laugh he had in a long while. Sasuke stared at him, confused. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting. Nowhere near the reaction he probably should've gotten. Sasuke stepped closer, releasing Naruto's wrist.

Naruto began hushing, still chuckling until Sasuke held his face and kissed him.

Naruto quickly raised his hand, getting ready to fight back, but Sasuke pulled away. Naruto touched his lips, glaring at Sasuke.

"Are you going to leave now?" Naruto asked. All traces of humor gone.

Sasuke stepped closer and Naruto tensed. Piercing blue eyes didn't move from Sasuke's as he noticed Sasuke press his hand against the side of Naruto's face. He didn't move. Sasuke ran his fingers gently along the shell of Naruto's ear, trailing them down to the base of Naruto's neck. Naruto shivered, a soft groan escaping him. His cock twitched in response.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, quickly glancing down then back up.

"Are you done?" He asked.

Naruto stared at him and then sighed. He started walking away again but, once more, Sasuke held him back. Naruto whipped around, fist flying at Sasuke. Sasuke quickly grabbed it, blocking the punch with his arm. He pinned Naruto against the wall, gripping him back by the blond's waist. Naruto growled; a hand held against Sasuke's throat.

"What the hell do you want?!"

Sasuke stared at him. "Do you even have to ask anymore? I want you."

He pressed his body against Naruto's. The blond shivered, eyes finally averting Sasuke's; the hold he had on Sasuke's neck loosening. Sasuke grinded his hips against Naruto's, watching Naruto slowly unravel.

His face was flushed, lips tightly pressed together to keep any more tantalizing sounds locked in him. Sasuke rocked his hips again, the fabric of his jeans causing so much more unwanted pleasure to Naruto. Hands firmly holding Naruto's waist, Sasuke pressed his body closer, as, for the third time, he rocked his hips against Naruto's crotch.

The blond moaned softly, back slightly arched. He couldn't even hide the redness of his face anymore. Naruto glared at him. "I hate you."

"Noted." He leaned closer and kissed him.

Naruto kissed back, the hand he had around Sasuke's neck drifting down to his shoulder. He gripped it hard, nails digging into the flesh. Sasuke smirked, pulling back to look at him. He started to speak but Naruto quickly clamped his hand over Sasuke's mouth.

"Don't you dare say anything. I already hate myself more than I already do."

"Then I'll take your mind off it."

Sasuke turned Naruto around; facing him towards the sink. Naruto braced his arms against the sink's countertop. He felt Sasuke's hands glide over his back, long fingers running up the sides of his torso. Naruto shuddered, feeling Sasuke grind against his ass. He heard Sasuke unbuckle his pants then could feel Sasuke's erect cock on the cleft of his ass.

He bit back a comment he was going to add; his breath hitching as he felt Sasuke wrap a hand around his half erect cock. His toes curled as Sasuke slowly started to stroke him.

"When was the last time you had sex with that artist?" Sasuke asked, thumb pressing down on the slit of Naruto's erection, pre-ejaculate already dripping down.

"I said shut- ah!"

Sasuke bit down at the crook of Naruto's neck, licking the bruise right afterwards. Naruto's cock twitched in his hands and he smirked against the blond's nape. He roughly began stroking Naruto's erection, smearing pre-ejaculate down along the shaft.

Naruto grinded his teeth together, legs trembling. Sasuke bit him again, hard enough to almost pierce flesh, and every time he felt more pleasure course through him. Sasuke knew just how much pain to inflict; how much Naruto could handle at once. He would bite down, hands roughly stroking him, fingertip smeared against the slit and the pain seamlessly wove itself into the coiling heat of pleasure that Naruto felt.

Sasuke stared at the mirror in front of them. Naruto was biting his lips, trying his hardest to quiet himself. His face was completely red, eyes lidded as he concentrated on keeping his arms upright. Sasuke pulled his hand away and Naruto whimpered, already missing the absence of warmth that came from Sasuke's fingers. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small tube of lube.

"You came prepared." Naruto said, glancing back at Sasuke. Sasuke grinned, popping the cap off with his teeth.

"I always am." Sasuke said, pouring the gel on his cock. It rolled down the thick of his shaft, a rivulet running down to Naruto's lower back. Sasuke spread it over, pressing into Naruto. The blond shuddered, feeling Sasuke push his lube-coated fingers into him. Sasuke roughly pushed two in, Naruto gasping at the sudden intrusion.

Sasuke pulled them out then thrust them back in. Naruto moaned, hips pushing back against Sasuke's hand. Sasuke groaned, pulling out his fingers. Naruto's face was utterly alluring. He grabbed Naruto's face by his chin, forcing the blond to look at the mirror. Naruto averted his eyes, looking to the side.

Sasuke pressed the tip of his cock against Naruto's entrance and roughly pushed in. Naruto cried out, his arms buckling underneath him. Bent over the sink, he gasped, completely still as he breathed slowly. Sasuke stayed still, carefully watching Naruto.

"Straighten up." Sasuke commanded. He ran his hand through the back of Naruto's head, grabbing a fist full of hair. He jerked his head back, waiting as Naruto slowly lifted himself back up, hands gripping the edge of the counter.

Sasuke still hadn't moved and he grabbed Naruto's face again, making him look into the mirror. With Naruto watching, he pulled out, Naruto's breathing hitched, as he thrust back in.

"You… nng… bastard..." Naruto managed to say, glaring at Sasuke through the mirror. Sasuke started to thrust into him, making sure Naruto could see his own face.

"Sorry." Sasuke said, kissing Naruto's nape. Naruto merely grunted in response.

Sasuke pulled out completely then thrust in again. Naruto moaned, back arched. It burned, having been entered so roughly. But that was how sex with Sasuke always was. And Naruto couldn't help but revel in the burn, of Sasuke thrusting into him again.

He missed the pain that came with the pleasure.

Naruto moaned, hips rocking back to meet Sasuke's rough thrusts. As Sasuke had promised, he had no time to feel regret or shame or anything that was being done to his body. Sasuke knew where to tease him, thumb smearing the tip of Naruto's cock as he stroked it. Naruto shuddered, slowly starting to feel that insatiable pressure in him.

He panted, shamelessly pushing back against Sasuke. Sasuke grinned, kissing his shoulder. "It's okay," He whispered.

He gripped Naruto's waist, thrusting deeper into the blond. Naruto moaned; his voice echoed in the bathroom, making him that much more aware of what he was doing.

"Sasuke… ah…!"

He couldn't hold back. Sasuke thrust even harder into him. He could hear Sasuke grunt, tightly gripping Naruto's waist. Naruto breathlessly moaned, his vision going white as he came. Somewhere behind him, he could hear Sasuke grunt; Sasuke holding him still as he came inside Naruto.

Naruto shuddered when Sasuke pulled out and he sank to the floor, his legs no longer able to support him up. Naruto breathed slowly, head resting against the cabinet door of the sink. His cum had splattered on it; the near white substance sliding down to the floor.

"Naruto." Sasuke kneeled beside Naruto. He grabbed Naruto's face and made the blond look at him. "We're not done yet."

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><p>It was nearly midnight when Sasuke finally let Naruto fall asleep on his bed. The blond was completely and uttering exhausted. Sasuke sat against the headboard of the bed as he gazed at Naruto. Bite marks marred his shoulders, most of which were already fading away. There was one particular mark, at the crook between Naruto's neck and shoulder, which had already bruised. Sasuke ran a finger along it, Naruto mumbling slightly.<p>

Sasuke climbed out of bed, grabbing his discarded pants from the floor near the bed. He slipped them on and walked out the room, to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grabbed the gallon of water, taking out a cup from the cabinet nearby. For a moment, as he poured himself a glass of water, it felt like their relationship was normal.

Of course it wasn't.

Because he knew as soon as Naruto would wake up, he would mention they could never be normal again.

Sasuke sighed, gulping down his water. He walked back to Naruto's room, surprised to see Naruto actually wake and sitting. Naruto momentarily looked his way.

"I was hoping today was all a nightmare."

Sasuke smirked, sitting down beside Naruto. "You should be sleeping now."

Naruto shook his head, despite the fact that Sasuke was completely right. His entire body was sore. Even now, he wanted to lie back down on his back, to take the pressure off his ass and back. When he stood up, his legs shook. He could feel Sasuke watch him but didn't care. He walked over to his closet, rummaging for clothes.

"I realized something." Naruto said, slowly slipping on a pair of pants. "Sai told me I'm obsessed with you, the same as you are with me. And he's right."

"What are you getting at?" Sasuke asked. He didn't like how Naruto was talking. He was calm. Too calm. He watched Naruto pull on a jacket, not bothering with an undershirt.

"You can spread those pictures around if you want." Naruto said. "I don't care anymore."

He began to slowly walk out the room. Sasuke stared after him. He thought Naruto would fight back, or bargain for a way to get the photos back. Naruto wasn't the type to pull away. The idiot was stubborn to a fault.

"It's that artist, isn't it." Sasuke stated. Naruto stopped, leaning against the threshold of the door.

"I can at least try to salvage one relationship." Naruto continued walking away. Sasuke stared at the floor, hands clasped together. His patience finally snapped. Sasuke stood, following right behind Naruto. Naruto heard Sasuke's footsteps behind him and he shuddered. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

He was in danger; that much he could tell.

"Sas-" He didn't even have time to finish the sentence as he suddenly found himself roughly pressed against the wall. He glared at Sasuke, ready to mouth off when he felt cold steel rip through his sweater. Naruto's eyes widened and he didn't look away from Sasuke. But he could feel it.

The tip of the blade was pressed against his chest, lazily trailing upwards to his heart. Sasuke wasn't playing around like last time. His eyes, dark as ever, were devoid of anything that Naruto could recognize.

"Sasuke… What're-"

"Shut the hell up." Sasuke uttered, a hand gripping Naruto's throat.

Naruto couldn't reason with him anymore. He concentrated on his breathing instead, never looking away from Sasuke. Sasuke pressed the blade flat against Naruto's chest. The blond shuddered, the cold blade sending more than just chills through him.

"Sasuke," Naruto kept his voice steady. "Put the blade down. We can talk about it." Sasuke tightened his grip on Naruto's throat.

"No matter how much we talk, it's not going to change. Nothing is." Sasuke said.

Naruto winced, trying to free up some room around his neck. Sasuke loosened his hold a bit. "You're basically holding me hostage." Naruto replied.

"It's the only way I can get you to listen to me."

"You're the one that isn't listening!" Naruto shouted. He head butted Sasuke, escaping from him.

Sasuke quickly turned around, grabbing Naruto by his hair and slammed him down on the ground. He groaned, rolling over to his stomach as he slowly tried to stand. Sasuke stepped back and kicked him square in the stomach. Naruto coughed, collapsing back to the floor. Naruto tried again, managing to sit upright. He glared up at Sasuke.

Sasuke was completely gone.

"You're not even listening now." He mumbled, breathing heavily.

"I am." Sasuke replied.

"Then pay attention." Naruto struggled to his feet. "We're done."

He could see the fist fly towards him but Naruto couldn't stop it. He stumbled back from the force, his jaw throbbing in pain. Sasuke gripped the handle of the knife.

Sasuke came at him, the knife held in front of him. Naruto somehow managed to sidestep him, but the blade sliced through his side, a deep bleeding cut appearing over his left hip.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke attacked again. Naruto backed away, trying to dodge but Sasuke grabbed Naruto's tattered sweater. He pulled Naruto close, knife swinging towards him. Naruto panicked. His hands moved before he had time to think.

He gripped the knife in his hands, stopping it. Pain lanced through his arms, blood spilling down his hands and to the floor. Naruto gritted his teeth but didn't let go.

Sasuke looked surprised but he quickly recovered, swiping his legs against Naruto's.

They fell, the pair still struggling for control over the knife. They landed on the coffee table; Naruto back's hitting the table hard. He felt warm liquid pour down his chest, pain running through him. He panicked, pushing Sasuke off him as he started down at his chest. It was bloodied but there was no wound other than the one on his left side.

He looked down at Sasuke and the air went cold around him. The blade had punctured through Sasuke's chest. Sasuke groaned, his breathing becoming ragged. He coughed and blood spurted out his mouth. He gazed up at Naruto, noticing the panic spreading through those blue eyes that, at some point years ago, used to love him.

Naruto kneeled beside him, hands pressed down on Sasuke's chest, around the knife. He couldn't find the words to speak. All his brain was letting him process was the fact that Sasuke was stabbed, blood pouring from the wound with every shuttering breath he took.

Sasuke gripped Naruto's blood coated hands. He opened his mouth but he coughed instead, blood coating his lips.

"Don't say anything! S-Sasuke…" His voice trembled. Tears welling at the corner of his eyes. He reached into his pants, pulling out his cellphone, trembling fingers marking Iruka's number.

Sasuke was wheezing, every breath he took more heavy than the last. He watched Naruto talk into the phone, his voice cracking and stuttering. Every blink was getting heavier and he was steadily feeling colder. Sasuke closed his eyes and when he opened them, Naruto was grabbing his shoulders, face so close that his hot tears landed on Sasuke's face.

He lifted his hand, and it felt so incredible hard to lift it, to cup Naruto's face. He ran his thumb across Naruto's lips, blood coating a path. He opened his mouth to speak but his voice wouldn't work.

"…Don't go… please, Sasuke… don't die…"

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><p><strong>0o0o0o0o0o0o<strong>

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><p><strong>See you guys in another 6 months!<strong>

**[I'm joking, (maybe).**** Hopefully, if -**_insert life excuses here_**- works out and is sorted, the last chapter should be done by the end of December and posted early January. **

**But thank you so much for sticking around despite the story's flighty updates. **


	9. Chapter 9

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

_Final chapter  
>un'beta'd<em>

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><p><em>Sasuke was in one his moods again.<em>

_Naruto had been with Sasuke for so long that he instinctively knew. Like breathing, it was a feeling that was subconsciously felt. And Naruto's instincts were telling him that he should leave Sasuke alone to cool off._

_But that never happened._

_Whether he left Sasuke alone or tried to talk to him, the end result was the same._

_Naruto had gone with his gut feeling, deciding to leave Sasuke alone in the living room as he walked to his bedroom. Hours passed, night fell, Naruto slept, and Sasuke stayed in the living room; stoic and expressionless with his thoughts._

_Then Naruto awakened to the sight of Sasuke on top of him, eyes darker than the pitch blackness of the night. He sighed and offered his arms to his black-haired boyfriend. That was the only comfort that could pull Sasuke away from himself, from his thoughts; to indulge in Naruto's body. And the more Sasuke needed those indulgences, the more extreme they would get._

_Like tonight._

_Legs spread either side of Sasuke's waist._

_Hands held down by Sasuke's own pale hands as he thrust ever harder into the blond._

_The bed creaked and the room was filled with Naruto's breathy and gasping moans. Sweat dripped down the side of Sasuke's face, curving down his jaw. Naruto watched through half-lidded eyes as a single drop fell from his chin._

_A breath-stealing kiss pulled his attention away, Sasuke hoisting his hips closer, doubling over the blond as he continued to relentlessly pound into him._

_Naruto's breath hitched, arms clinging around Sasuke' back. Sasuke was so deep inside him, so desperately trying to get deeper. Fingers scraped down the arch of Sasuke's back, every ounce of his self control going to holding back his moans._

_He could hear Sasuke's grunts against his hear, his breath heating his neck. Sasuke teased and licked his sensitive neck; biting and marking him. Naruto shuddered with each bite; body keeping rhythm with Sasuke's thrust._

_His bit down on his lips, back arched, feet digging into the mattress as he climaxed. Sasuke thrust into him once more, riding out his own orgasm inside Naruto's heated body. It was quick and messy but that was always how it began._

_Naruto shuddered, his chest quickly rising and falling. Sasuke shifted, resting back on his knees as he stared down at Naruto. He was staring but not at Naruto. Rather at the splatters of cum from the blond's cock. He gathered some on his fingertips, pressing them to Naruto's lips. Naruto took his hand, licking Sasuke's finger clean._

_He still wasn't back. The eyes that looked back weren't focusing on him at all._

_With much effort, Naruto pulled away from Sasuke, his half-erect cock easily sliding out with a wet pop. Semen dripped from his twitching hole, down his inner thighs, as Naruto crawled to his hands and knees in front of Sasuke. He dropped down on his elbows, legs spread and ass in the air. He breathed heavily, chest heaving as he reached behind him, spreading himself open and with little resistance, inserted two fingers into himself._

_Naruto groaned softly and turned his head to the side so he could peak at Sasuke over his shoulders._

_"…More." He said, thrusting his fingers into him. His body twitched as he felt Sasuke grab his hand. Sasuke planted soft kisses along the small of Naruto's back, down the cleft of his ass, tongue lapping at the fingers already in him. Naruto shuddered, his knees almost buckling underneath him._

_"Naruto…"_

_Naruto closed his eyes, sighing contentedly at the sound of his name._

_That was what he wanted the most. To hear his name from Sasuke's mouth. To know Sasuke was starting to focus to him._

_He squirmed when that very mouth was working against his anus, tongue pushing into him. He bit at his bruised bottom lip, muffling his voice against the pillow. He spread his legs further apart, dropping his hips as Sasuke added a finger knuckle deep into him. Naruto was short of breath, his mind going blank as Sasuke's finger brushed against his sweet spot._

_His vision went white momentarily, his legs shaking from supporting himself. He gasped into the pillow, wanting nothing more than to be completely dominated._

_Sasuke twisted his finger, adding another digit. Naruto moaned, his two fingers brushing against Sasuke's fingers in him. Naruto wasn't particular tight, with the amount of sex they usually had, but having four fingers in him, he could feel the slight burn of being stretched. And he could feel it every time Sasuke shoved his fingers in and out, leading Naruto's own fingers along._

_He whined when Sasuke pulled all four fingers out of him. He pulled Naruto up off his elbows, turning him around as he kissed him._

_"Sasuke." He said his name again. Lips clashed against Sasuke's between every intake of breath. He could feel Sasuke's finger thread through his hair, gripping him tightly. Sasuke jerked Naruto's head back, exposing his neck, kissing and biting and marking some more._

_Naruto reached for Sasuke's cock, feeling it harden with his touch. Sasuke's hand guided Naruto's head to his lap, lips inches away from his erect cock._

_Naruto kissed the tip, lips smearing with pre-ejaculate. He wrapped his fingers around the base, taking the head into his mouth. Naruto suckled against the tip, tongue running along it before he took Sasuke's entire length into his mouth. Sasuke shuddered, fingers gripping him tighter._

_"..naruto.."_

_That was all the encouragement he needed to keep going. He hollowed his cheeks and began sucking, head bobbing. Sasuke held Naruto's head in place, fingers massaging his scalp._

_"Like that."_

_"Suck harder."_

_"Naruto, you're so good."_

_All of Sasuke's praises were getting him hard. He hummed around Sasuke's cock, grinding his hips against the comforter of the bed to relieve some of the pressure. Sasuke pulled Naruto's head away, lips red and swollen, a thick strand of spit connecting from them to the tip of Sasuke's cock before breaking away. He blinked, staring up at Sasuke._

_Sasuke cupped the side of Naruto's face, pressing his thumb against the blond's bottom lip. Naruto lowered his gaze, sucking on his thumb. He nodded, answering the unspoken question on Sasuke's lips._

_Sasuke gripped his erect cock, his breath shaky, and brought himself to orgasm, coming on Naruto's face. Naruto licked his lips, taking in the bit that landed near his mouth. He flinched when he felt Sasuke cup the side of his face._

_Sasuke pulled Naruto closer, licking the blond's face free of his ejaculate. He kissed him, passing his cum to Naruto as he jerked the blond off into his own orgasm._

_Naruto swallowed, cum and all, body shuddering as he collapsed against Sasuke. He breathed heavily, resting his head against Sasuke's shoulder._

_"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked._

_Naruto pulled away and gazed at Sasuke. Finally, his eyes were what they were before. Still dark but not lost. Naruto nodded, too exhausted to even speak. But he still tried._

_"I need to go clean up." He pulled away, crawling towards the end of the bed but as soon as he tried to stand, he landed back on his ass on the bed. He winced, body tensing._

_"I'll go." Sasuke said, the bed shifting weight as he stood up. Naruto nodded._

_Sasuke left the room, walking to the bathroom and grabbed a towelette from underneath the sink. He walked back to the bedroom only to find Naruto asleep. He chuckled, sitting beside Naruto as he began to wipe down his body. Naruto stirred, turning towards Sasuke._

_"How do you feel?" Naruto asked slowly, eyes fluttering open to look at him._

_"What about yourself?" Sasuke replied, leaning over his body. Naruto smiled, a lazy chuckle shaking his body._

_"Better now that I feel slightly less sticky." He ran his hand over his stomach, chest slowly rising and falling with every breath. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand, squeezing it gently. Sasuke brushed away Naruto's bangs, causing the blond to smile. He quickly succumbed to exhaustion and Sasuke pulled his hand away._

_Sasuke looked over Naruto's body, noting all the red bruises he had left when they first started hours ago. Some were already starting to turn purple. Along his neck and shoulder, down his chest, and around his thighs were several kiss marks that wouldn't fade anytime soon. Sasuke turned away and stared out the window._

_The sun was starting to peak over the mountains, casting the horizon to a bright multicolor display of red, orange, and purple. He tossed aside the damp towel, covering Naruto with the beds' comforter._

_He walked over to the closet, grabbing a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Sasuke walked out to the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind him as he made his way to the living room. Near the television on a stand, beside a framed photograph of Naruto's parents and himself as a baby, were several other photographs. One of them had Itachi and Sasuke on it, both smiling pleasantly._

_He grabbed it, fingers running along the ridges of the frame._

_Itachi was dead. His heart throbbed and he clenched the frame tightly. Sasuke was absolutely and utterly alone._

_But there was Naruto. He wasn't so alone with him around._

_As long as he had Naruto, he could keep at bay the soul crushing realization of just how alone he was in the entire world._

_As long as Naruto was with him, he could still keep his demons away._

_Sasuke placed the frame back with the rest and walked back to the bedroom._

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><p><em>Naruto didn't wake up well into the after noon. When he did, his entire body was sore. He stared at the ceiling, just breathing. He slowly sat upright, light twinges of pain shooting throughout his spine. He sighed, arching his back as he stretched.<em>

_He could hear noise from the kitchen, clattering of pots and pans. Naruto slowly got off the bed, ignoring the clatter as he made his way to the bathroom for a shower._

_Once he was cleaned and feeling more refreshed than before, he pulled on a pair of boxers from the bedroom and walked towards the kitchen. The smell of food made his stomach growl and mouth water. Sasuke was cooking._

_"Finally awake?" Sasuke asked, focused on the cooking._

_"Yeah." Naruto walked towards the kitchen, eyeing the food Sasuke was making._

_"Is your body okay?"_

_"Incredibly sore but I'll live." He replied, turning towards the fridge. He grabbed the large jug of water, drinking straight from it. He closed the door, keeping the plastic jug with him. He turned back, only to bump into Sasuke's chest._

_"Are you sure?"_

_Naruto looked at him, watching his dark eyes roaming over his body. Sasuke gently pressed his hand against a dark purple bruise on Naruto's left hip. Naruto winced slightly. A frown formed on Sasuke's lips, the familiar crinkle settling between his brows. Naruto sighed, placing his hand over Sasuke's._

_"I'm fine. Honestly." He squeezed Sasuke's hand, placing a kiss on his lips._

_He walked around Sasuke, placing the jug on the counter._

_"Listen," He said, sitting on top of the counter. "Today's the anniversary of Itachi's death." He could see Sasuke's body tense, hands slightly clenching. "We should go."_

_Sasuke silently walked towards him, standing in front on the blond. He knew Sasuke didn't like cemeteries. Sasuke hadn't gone close to one since Itachi's death. He lifted his hands, grabbing Sasuke's face in his hands. He smiled and kissed him again._

_Sasuke stared into those blue eyes. At a face that's been in his childhood for a large part of it. He quirked an eyebrow, leaning closer._

_"You call that a kiss?"_

_Naruto grinned, pulling Sasuke close to kiss him seriously. Sasuke pulled Naruto closer, legs spreading apart aside Sasuke's hips. Naruto shuddered and pulled away, panting slightly._

_"I would like to see other places beyond the bedroom." He said. "We'll go get Itachi some sunflowers to brighten his view, okay?"_

_Sasuke nodded. He pulled Naruto into a tight hug, the slightest of trembles shaking his body. Warmth spread throughout Naruto's body as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's back._

_"Sasuke, I love you."_

_"Me too." He replied, hugging him tighter._

_Naruto sighed contentedly. This moment was happiness. And Naruto would make sure Sasuke knew that feeling well. That he wasn't entirely alone in the world._

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><p>Beeps echoed throughout his mind. Rhythmic beeps that sounded all too familiar. He opened his eyes and white light greeted him. He closed them again and a warm hand was holding his. Iruka's voice was talking to him but he didn't understand any of it.<p>

He opened his eyes again, slowly this time, and Iruka's face entered his field of vision. The older man smiled, tears falling down his cheeks. Naruto blinked when a drop fell on his gas mask. He tried to straighten up but every part of his body hurt.

"Don't move, Naruto, you're very weak right now." Naruto nodded and that simple movement felt sluggish. He breathed, testing out small movements throughout his body. It was mostly his torso and arms that hurt the most. He could hear the door open and saw Iruka talking to the doctor. He sighed, staring back up at the bright ceiling.

He closed his eyes and Sasuke's bloodied face flashed through his mind.

He bolted upright, a wave of nausea sending him into a fit of dry heaves. Iruka rushed over to him, gently patting Naruto's back, He ripped off his gas mask, to breathe better, gripping Iruka's arms. Naruto turned towards him, ignoring the doctor's advice to lay back down on the bed.

"Where is he?"

Naruto didn't have to say who. Iruka knew.

And Iruka looked away, unable to stare at Naruto's eyes.

Naruto's expression visibly crumbled and it take all he had to not cry. Because he still wasn't given an answer.

"Iruka, please… Where is Sasuke?"

Iruka stayed silent, trying to figure out what was the right thing to say. None came to mind except, "I'm sorry, Naruto. Sasuke died."

Naruto's eyes widened, his grip on Iruka's arm finally loosening. He stared down at his lap, at his hands. And they were covered in Sasuke's blood.

His shoulder's shook but he didn't cry. He couldn't. Not when he could feel the pressure of the knife as it had slipped into Sasuke's chest. Nor the blood that covered his hands. Accident or not, it was his hands on the handle of the knife.

"…Iruka…I…"

His voice cracked. The bed shifted with Iruka's weight and strong arms were holding him against a warm chest. Naruto blinked, the blood gone from his hands but not the pressure, the feel of the knife's handle.

"It's okay to cry, Naruto." Iruka said, holding him close.

"I… I killed him, Iruka." Naruto's voice was barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to get it away from him, but we struggled… then fell and… the bleeding wouldn't stop…" His body shook harder. Iruka steeled himself and grabbed Naruto's face, making the blond look at him.

"Listen to me." He said firmly. "It is not your fault. The police are already calling it a self defense case. What happened tonight, it was an unfortunate accident. So don't blame yourself, Naruto. You didn't kill him."

The tears that were welled up at the corners of his eyes finally spilled over. Naruto clung to Iruka, racking sobs assaulting his chest. Iruka held him, not saying a word, simply holding him because at the moment that was all Naruto needed.

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><p>Naruto stayed in the hospital for a couple of days. After he had recovered from the fever he had, with the doctor's permission, the police questioned Naruto, to get the full details of that night. With Iruka and Kakashi by his side, Naruto recounted the event.<p>

It was draining, having to recall the struggle for the knife and the resulting end, but it was better with Iruka there. After asking a couple more questions, the police thanked him, leaving the room with the report. Once they were out of the room, Naruto sighed, his shoulders visibly relaxing.

"Thanks for being here, Iruka, Kakashi." Naruto said. Iruka nodded, squeezing Naruto's hand in reassurance.

"We'll come back later."

Naruto nodded, watching the two men stand. "Iruka, about Sasuke…"

"His funeral was held yesterday." Naruto nodded, keeping his mouth shut. Iruka wanted to say something but nothing came to mind. He couldn't think of anything that would comfort him. Kakashi tapped Iruka's shoulder, a slight shake of his head. Iruka sighed, looking back at Naruto.

"See you later, Naruto." He said, leaving the room with Kakashi.

Naruto looked towards the window, watching the sun shine brightly through a patch of clouds. Like a normal day. The world wouldn't stop for a single death. But he felt like it should. He shifted his leg over towards the edge of the bed, dangling from the side. He grabbed the pole that held his IV drip and used it as support as he stood. His body ached as he walked towards the window; IV drip in hand.

"I need to get Sasuke some sunflowers." He whispered, resting his forehead against the cool pane of the glass.

"Despite everything that happened with him."

Naruto turned around, at Sai as he entered the room.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, leaning back against the window with a weary smile. "I've practically know him all my life, Sai. I've seen his best and worst." He chuckled but the humor wasn't in it. "I've _been_ through his best and worst."

Naruto stared at the pale-skinned artist, and an after image of Sasuke appeared before him. Sasuke smiled before disappearing and Naruto couldn't stop the familiar pressure building up behind his eyes. Concerned, Sai stepped closer but Naruto held up his hand, signaling him to stop.

He couldn't look Sai in the eye so he stared at the plain floor.

"I…" He swallowed, wishing he had a glass of water. "When Iruka told me Sasuke died, I…" He paused, breathing slightly heavily. "For a split second I thought, 'finally, he's gone'." Naruto's voice cracked, gaze kept downcast.

"I was glad… that he died. I wouldn't have to deal with his games anymore."

Naruto's shoulder shook.

He felt awful when the thought crossed his mind. Sick to his stomach because he felt such instant relief when he was told Sasuke was dead. He gripped his head, sliding down against the window and wall to the floor.

"I'm the worst." He said through gritted teeth.

Sai stared at him for a brief moment before he walked towards Naruto. He kneeled in front of the blond and without saying a word, he placed his hands over Naruto's and gently pulled them away from his face. His fingertips came back wet with tears.

"You are not the worst." Sai said. Naruto shuddered; shoulder's shaking from withholding his sobs. "You are not the best either."

Naruto didn't look up at him. "...then what am I?"

"You are human who lost someone really special."

Naruto's chest tightened, and he finally looked at Sai. Sai shifted back to sit on the floor as he wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulder, pulling the blond close to him. Naruto sighed, his body visibly relaxing into the contours of Sai's chest. He let himself sag against Sai's body, head resting on his shoulder.

They stayed together on the floor until Sai could feel the even rise and fall of Naruto's chest as he succumbed to sleep.

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><p>Three days later, Naruto was released from the hospital, as healthy as he could be. Iruka escorted him back to his apartment and when Naruto walked into the living room, it felt weird.<p>

His coffee table was gone but aside from that, the living room was the same as always. He walked over to the spot. There wasn't even a bloodspot anywhere. The cleaners were thorough with their job.

"Naruto?"

Iruka's voice called him back from blank thoughts. Naruto turned, pasting a smile on his face.

"I'm okay, Iruka." He said. The concerned looked in Iruka's eyes didn't go away. But he continued to smile either way.

"I can stay over tonight." He offered. Naruto shook his head, walking back towards his guardian.

"You worry too much. I'll be fine."

Iruka nodded and brought Naruto into a tight hug. For that moment, Naruto felt small again. Like that time he stood in front of Jiraiya's grave as they buried him. All he could remember was the strong and warm embrace of Iruka's arms around his thin frame.

"Call me for anything." Iruka said. Naruto nodded and he watched Iruka hesitantly head towards the door. Naruto smiled, walking towards him and guiding him to the door.

"I promise I will." He reassured. Iruka nodded, giving his shoulder a squeeze before he left. Naruto closed the door behind and walked back to the living room.

He felt very alone in his apartment.

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><p>The following week, Naruto's life continued as normal.<p>

He went to his classes, talking to his professors of the classes he missed and if there were any makeup he could do so he wouldn't completely fail those courses. For the first time in a long while, he felt everyone keep their distance. His friends gave their condolences but, Naruto couldn't shake the hollowness he felt in his body.

Naruto walked out of the main office of the college, tired despite it being only noon. But he didn't want to go to his apartment. He sighed, stuffing his books into his messenger bag.

"Hey, Naruto."

He turned around, slugging his bag over his shoulder as Sakura stood in front of him. She was smiling but he could tell she was concerned. He smiled in return.

"Hey."

"Ino and the others are planning to go out to eat. Do you want to come along?" She asked.

Naruto pretended to think about the offer. He didn't want to immediately turn it down. It would seem suspicious.

"Thanks but I need to work on all the makeup work I have. Maybe next time." He said. Sakura nodded, still concerned as they left the classroom together. She grabbed his hand, pulling him until they were away from the prying ears.

"You know you can talk to me, right." Sakura said, unwavering eyes stared at him. Naruto blinked, a soft nervous chuckle escaped his lips. He nodded, looking away.

"I'm just tired. Honestly."

Sakura hummed, grabbed his face between her hands as she stared at his eyes. "Have you been sleeping?" She asked, her tone of voice serious.

Naruto chuckled, a gentle smile forming on his lips as he placed his hands over hers and pulled them away.

"I haven't. But on my way home, I'll buy some pills to help me sleep."

Sakura nodded, the medical student in her pulling away.

"Call me for anything, got it?"

"Got it." He replied. Sakura smiled and with that she left to catch up to Ino whom was leaving a classroom at the opposite end of the hallway. Naruto turned back, leaving through a side exit.

He took the long way home, avoiding the park and cemetery completely. As he had said to Sakura, he stopped by a pharmacy for the pills, averting his eyes from the flower shop right next to it as he left. When Naruto got home, he dropped everything on the sofa in the living room, grabbing the bottle of pills.

He walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the sink, staring at himself in the mirror. Sakura had a right to be concerned. He looked dead tired. Probably cause of the lack of sleep. And because of Sasuke. Naruto sighed and he stared down at the bottle. He opened the cap, spilling several pills onto his palm.

He took a deep breath and poured it back into the bottle, leaving only the two prescribed pills to take.

He looked back at the mirror, at his reflection, with a glare.

"I'm not that weak."

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><p>Days passed and Naruto gradually was able to sleep at night but he still hadn't visited Sasuke's grave. Every time he tried, he'd make an excuse to himself to not go.<p>

Naruto grumbled, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom in the middle of the afternoon. He realized that he didn't want to go alone but he didn't want to ask Iruka or Sakura. And he didn't know what was even left of his relationship with Sai. They hadn't talked since Sai had come to the hospital that day. Naruto groaned out loud, swiftly sitting upright. He grabbed his phone, flipping it open, ready to dial Sai's number when the doorbell rang. He jumped, heart nearly leaping against his chest.

Naruto hopped off the bed and went to answer the door, thinking it was Iruka to check on him.

Instead he found Sai, as expressionless as ever.

"Damn, that's scary." He said, slightly bemused.

"What is?" Sai asked.

"I was just about to call you." Naruto said, letting Sai walk in to his apartment.

"I thought it would be better if I talked to you in person." He said.

"What about?" Naruto asked, already having an idea what he wanted to ask.

"You haven't visited Sasuke's grave yet."

Okay, that wasn't what Naruto thought Sai wanted to talk about.

"Yeah, I…" It took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I don't know why but I'm scared."

Sai stared at the blond as he went to sit on the stool by the island counter. He had looked physically better than he had weeks ago.

"You weren't the one that killed him." Sai said.

A bitter smile shaped Naruto lips. "I know but… my hands were on that handle." The police called it a self-defense case. Iruka assured him it was just an unfortunate accident. But that didn't change the fact nor did it help Naruto feel better. He looked down at his clenched hands on top his lap.

"Then, as Sasuke's killer, don't you have an obligation of seeing him."

Naruto looked up, eyes wide. Sai just called him a killer.

"As the man who murdered Sasuke, wouldn't it be disrespectful to simply leave him be in his grave?"

"Did you just…" Naruto was too baffled to finish his question. But Sai understood and he nodded. Then the softest of expression flitted across his pale features.

"I won't ever understand the relationship you had with Sasuke. But if calling you a killer is what it will take for you to go see him, then I'll call you that. You are hurt, Naruto. And you'll continue to hurt if you don't come to terms with him."

Naruto almost didn't know what to think. But the relief in his tense shoulder wasn't something he was expecting.

"You really don't hold anything back, do you." Naruto said.

"I've been told it's not exactly a good trait to have." Sai replied.

"But it suits you." Naruto said. He took his cellphone out of his jeans pocket to check the time. It was a little after three in the afternoon. "Can you come with me?" He asked.

Sai nodded, "Of course."

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><p>The sun was starting to set when the pair arrived at the front gates of the graveyard near the park. Naruto stared past the gates, a dozen sunflowers in his hands. Sai was beside him, like a silent pillar of support. Taking a deep breath, he walked past the gates, making his way to Sasuke's grave.<p>

When he arrived at Sasuke's grave, Sai kept his distance as Naruto approached the gray stone. The blond kneeled in front of it and placed all 12 sunflowers on top of Sasuke's grave. He grabbed six of the flowers and placed them on the grave besides Sasuke's; Itachi's grave.

"…I'm sorry Sasuke." He said, staring down at the grave. He had thought about all he wanted to say to Sasuke's grave, words he needed to get off his mind. But now that he was in front of Sasuke's grave, the words he planned to say wouldn't come out. And he couldn't think of what else to say. He stood up and glanced once more at the grave.

"Rest well." He said, walking away.

He walked back to Sai and together they left the cemetery. Oddly enough, he felt lighter than he had before. Sai may have been right when he said he needed to visit Sasuke. He looked towards the artist and steeled himself to talk about one more topic he was avoiding.

"Sai, about us…"

"Is this where we end it?" He asked, slowly stopping. Naruto stopped to and he looked to Sai. He couldn't read Sai's expression as well as he did before. Naruto took a seat on a bench and shook his head.

"Honestly, I don't want to end it but I don't want to continue right now." He said. Naruto paused, chuckling a little bit at how selfish he sounded.

"Do you want a do-over?" Sai said, sitting beside the blond.

"Do-over?" He echoed. Sai nodded and Naruto looked to the sky. "That doesn't sound bad." He said. "We probably started this relationship all wrong anways."

" With you drunk?"

Naruto groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, I probably should never drink again."

"I never said that." Sai replied. Naruto chuckled and he leaned back on the bench.

"Yeah, let's start over." Naruto said. "We can take it slow, right."

Sai nodded, "As slow as you need it to be. I was never going to give up on you."

Naruto stared at Sai, watching him stand and walk away, in a sort of disbelief at how cool and smooth Sai sounded. He smiled, standing and stretching his arms above his head. He definitely felt lighter than he did before. Naruto caught up to Sai, comfortably walking beside him in a pleasant silence.

"Thank you for your patience." Naruto said, refusing to meet Sai's eyes. Sai glanced at Naruto and he extended a hand. Naruto took a quick look and held his hand; interlocking their fingers together as the continued their peaceful walk.

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><p><strong>This chapter is dedicated to the guest reviewer who would send me spirits to haunt me if I didn't update. <strong>

**Spirits are 2 spooky**

**Sorry it took for fuck-ever to update**

**For the curious, aside from the .hack fic I'm trying to work on, I've started to work on a attack on titan fic with Papa Heichou and Shota Eren**


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